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Topic: Bossa Nova and the Olympics |
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 22 Aug 2016 10:36 am |
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click here, start the music
The camera panned down the street to Garota de Ipanema, the bar where Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes wrote Girl From Ipanema,
sung by Daniel Jobim as he played in the style of Joao Gilberto down to the 'bim bom bom bim bom bom' that was its signature
and imitates the berimbao, a native instrument not unlike a one-string steel played with a rock.
Gilberto's wife, Astrid, sang on the song in the 'sixties and introduced us to the flat style, altho she was occasionally sharp, but we're really
talking about lack of vibrato. We got used to her unselfconscious style but it may not have conveyed a tradition of singers over the decades.
I found the style in its lack of vibrato refreshing, it calls up the coasts, the palms, all of it... and that language, so soave, it lets you know what amor is, speaking like it's a handshake.
It is the most famous bossa nova song in the world, or course. It may be so old you don't play it, but it introduced half the guitar world
to major sevenths and how to move them around the melody--I suppose; most everybody learned the chords from someone else, but it was a start, and if it didn't affect you in some way you're lying.
Then Mariene de Castro comes out at the closing ceremony. I understood what happened to the lady singer in Brazil. Here she is. They call her Mari.
She sang the closing in the rain to put out the cauldron, her hair
[I seem to have a thing for cariocas with big hair; I shudder to consider a duet with Esperanza Spalding]
her hair, seemingly impervious to the shower water deliciously dripping from her dress....
... excuse me, it was a religious moment, hearing the voice echo the flat vibrato of the last century, but she steps out of that as well,
but not at that moment, which was too amazing--I'll swear you couldn't hear the crowd--to sully with adolescent beliefs and insecure vocal cords.
The last half hour was thirty minutes of samba, the dancing girls on the float hardly got warmed up, following this tropical rain like lent quenches carnaval, somewhere in a jungle far from Rio.
I couldn't find that closing tune, Nothing Lasts Forever, but here are Utubes from this gal. You will love her band following the acoustic trio
--this percussionist is getting all that with a tambourine--the players on stage are great...
... unless you are blind to the moon, bossa nova, love, and sweaty people.
Outstanding is Ponte de Nana a half dozen tracks later. I keep listening to this tune, except there's always another one, and it will rock like King Sunny.
Last edited by Charlie McDonald on 22 Aug 2016 1:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 22 Aug 2016 12:38 pm
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All this reminds me that among my broad musical tastes lurks a fascination with bossa, particularly the jazz harmony aspect.
Who plays it on steel? Has anyone written any down?
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 22 Aug 2016 1:51 pm
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Well dang Charlie....I caught just bits and pieces of the closing ceremonies and I guess I missed all that.
Aside though, I did see the interview that Mary Carillo did with the woman, Helo Pinheiro, that was the actual inspiration for the song Garota de Ipanema. It was very interesting and she still owns a shop there in Rio on the same street. She also carried the Olympic torch. clickhere
Costas said he had always been very fond of the song and they played several clips from it during that spot.
It is one of my favorite tunes to play on pedal steel and I do it about every time I play a steel show. Fmaj7 on the C neck.
I believe you are correct concerning that being the introduction of Bossa Nova to many.
I'll try to visit the links you posted as time permits. There's quite a bit to see there. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 23 Aug 2016 4:37 am
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Cool, Jerry. Helo must be famous in that area.
The selection of songs by Mariene is one of the best I've encountered. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 23 Aug 2016 4:47 am
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I just love Brazilian music. Samba, Choro, Bossa, Hermeto! It is the most elegant music in the west IMO.
The rhythms, the harmonies, the great guitar playing, the vocals...the vocals! Whether it is the unison vocals of a small chorus or the subdued, intimate vocals of Joao Gilberto or Tom Jobim, so captivating!
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 23 Aug 2016 5:25 am
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Bossa is my desert island music. I've been head over heels for Brazilian music of all stripes since I was 20. Yes, the vibratoless vocal approach is something Joao Gilberto pioneered in the late 50s. We have a discussion on the jazz guitar board going on about a very late Astrid Gilberto performance featuring Emily Remler where Astrid's really far out of tune. I always thought she sang consistently flat though, on her early records, she sounds charming.
Ahhhh .... Bossa ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnUxSAST2zA
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Last edited by Andy Volk on 24 Aug 2016 1:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
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Posted 23 Aug 2016 6:06 am
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One of my favorites, Andy. Astrid sings it on her second album, arranged by Gil Evans.
She's already drifting a little sharp then; Evans pushed those limits as well, like A Felicidade.
Concerning pitch, one Utube poster said "Pues no desafina para nada! No entendeis nada de bossa"
(Well she's not out of tune for nothing! You understand nothing of bossa.)
Yes, desert island music, or for dessert as well.  |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 23 Aug 2016 2:16 pm
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| Love those Latin rhythms. Another familiar tune with Jobim and Gilberto....Desafinado....for a particularly nice instrumental version find the Charlie Byrd/Stan Getz recording. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 24 Aug 2016 1:35 pm
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I think Corcovado is the best of the period songs. Gil Evans did it with Miles Davis. Haunting.
The version with Getz & Gilberto is outstanding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYM99Du5GSA |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2016 2:44 pm
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I've been a big Bossa Nova fan ever since my Dad bought the record by Stan Getz, Joao Gilbert and Astrud Gilberto. Great background music with lyrics in beautiful and sexy Portuguese, which I don't speak and so don't find distracting. Usually have that on Pandora as I work on the computer.
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 25 Aug 2016 8:46 am
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| Quote: |
| I just love Brazilian music. Samba, Choro, Bossa, Hermeto! It is the most elegant music in the west IMO. |
Mike, I agree with every word!  |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2016 9:04 am Re: Bossa Nova and the Olympics
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| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
Then Mariene de Castro comes out at the closing ceremony. I understood what happened to the lady singer in Brazil. Here she is. They call her Mari.
She sang the closing in the rain to put out the cauldron, her hair
[I seem to have a thing for cariocas with big hair; I shudder to consider a duet with Esperanza Spalding]
her hair, seemingly impervious to the shower water deliciously dripping from her dress....
... excuse me, it was a religious moment, hearing the voice echo the flat vibrato of the last century, but she steps out of that as well,
but not at that moment, which was too amazing--I'll swear you couldn't hear the crowd--to sully with adolescent beliefs and insecure vocal cords.
The last half hour was thirty minutes of samba, the dancing girls on the float hardly got warmed up, following this tropical rain like lent quenches carnaval, somewhere in a jungle far from Rio.
I couldn't find that closing tune, Nothing Lasts Forever, but here are Utubes from this gal. You will love her band following the acoustic trio
--this percussionist is getting all that with a tambourine--the players on stage are great...
... unless you are blind to the moon, bossa nova, love, and sweaty people.
Outstanding is Ponte de Nana a half dozen tracks later. I keep listening to this tune, except there's always another one, and it will rock like King Sunny. |
Thanks for posting, Charlie. Here's that YouTube you were looking for:
https://youtu.be/3gSwN_gLb9g
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 25 Aug 2016 9:11 am
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Eloquent is good. The most. Here is some of the smooth from Joao Gilberto.
Aos Pes Da Cruz
Quick before the annoying Amazon commercial, this is Miles doing the tune with Gil Evans.
Aos Pes Da Cruz
This is not so traditional, bass and percussion were more spare in Brazil, but something so silky could only come from the bossa nova. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
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Posted 25 Aug 2016 9:26 am
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Excellent, thank you b0b.
-------------
Mariene has more vibrato going than I remember, I must've been hypnotized by the hair.
The restraint I'm referring to is maybe tributary to the tradition, with a change to more modern practice, less or more conscious control,
who knows. I could also say, on that evening, she was probably excited. I also am easily excited by Brazilian music.
The suspension of vibrato seems to even the affect of sweaty romantic music, with 4 changes to the bar, where else do you get that?
Bossa nova is the cosa nostra of music, a secret thing. Bossa nova is the soul of samba.
More heart, less beats. Nonetheless, bossa nova must evolve to survive. Similar to a certain steel instrument.
I would like to run a bossa nova bar in Havana.
Last edited by Charlie McDonald on 25 Aug 2016 11:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Barry Blackwood
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Scott Thomas
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Posted 25 Aug 2016 12:56 pm
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Oh yeah, bossa nova was a sensation--internationally, as we saw--and it was nice to see Brazil feature one of their best exports. It seemed to have an immediate effect on Getz and Charlie Byrd. Getz/Gilberto is a perfect album. A true desert island disc for me, as well. In fact, it's so perfect that I have been loathe to buy more of that genre! I have one other: "Stan Getz Plays Jobim".
Anyway, what belies the perfection of that album is the somewhat casual way it was made. Getz: "hey, can Astrud sing in English? Let's try it". Joao: "Naw, she has a tendency to sing flat..."
I love the way Getz's breathy sax complements the understated vocals of Astrud and Joao, he's so melodic, overflowing with great riffs and phrasing. The phrasing is something I particularly admire. Every question seems to be neatly tied up with an answer. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 26 Aug 2016 4:05 am
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Sorry this has strayed so far off-topic, but there are obviously a lot of us who are passionate about Brazilian music.
My favorite Brazilian musicians are Guinga and Hermeto Pascoal. Definitely not traditional, but both are geniuses and well-acquainted with tradition. Both such incredible composers, as well. Especially Guinga. You must get to know this stunning classic, Choro pro Ze:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTh5_AM4IdQ
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http://mikeneer.com |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 26 Aug 2016 6:10 am
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Beautiful, Mike and Andy. There were more great vocalists from the era than most got to hear in the states. A list would begin to read
like Samba Saravah in that ultra-romantic movie A Man and a Woman, a long ode to great bossa nova composers of the past--the French
took to the bossa nova as well as the US. Bossa Nova lyricists were poets, and of course there's only one thing to write about--love.
And hearing it sung in Portugese is wonderful, since I wouldn't understand it no matter what the language.
But thank you Astrid Gilberto, Helo Pinheiro, and a couple of guys in a bar. The music has depth, and such a lovely surface. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 26 Aug 2016 4:43 pm
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To quote the late Toots Thielemans, "It fills the space between a smile and a tear."
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Scott Thomas
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Posted 26 Aug 2016 8:55 pm
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| I've read of my favorite composer's (Debussy) influence on Jobim which is another element of that music I like. The piano often retains that same impressionistic, spare, slightly melancholic sound which complements everything so well. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 27 Aug 2016 6:50 am
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Os Afrosambas,Vinicius de Moraes e Baden Powell (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXOJnnWaDnc
The bossa nova is slowly developing in the period, but the samba is infectuous being outrageous dance music.
It seems that the ensembles grew smaller, the parts became more spare, weeding out the unnecessary bits, more space.
Interesting that bossa means 'hump.' |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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