Getz / Gilberto

By Josh Lodish

Sometimes the greatest albums are a stroke of genius, the right people at the right time, a key exchange of ideas, or the machinery of the music industry working effectively. With the album, Getz / Gilberto, it was all four.

One the most popular and critically acclaimed bossa nova and jazz albums ever, Getz / Gilberto is the collaboration between Brazilian bossa nova guitarist, João Gilberto and American tenor saxophonist, Stan Getz. Filled with the dreamy romanticism inherent to bossa nova and jazz, the delicacy and strength of Getz and Gilberto’s vibratos, and the unflinchingly tight musical harmonies from each musician, this album will always be one of my favorites.

As the 1960s began, the world became focused on newer musical genres, most notably rock n’ roll, taking the US and many places by storm. Jazz, perhaps moving from its heyday as a slower, less approachable genre simply could not keep up. At this time, bossa nova, a Brazilian style of music originating in 1958 known for its unique syncopation, rhythmic simplicity, and traditional samba roots, caught the interest of many American jazz musicians, especially Stan Getz. Getz quickly started recording bossa nova albums with originators of the genre such as Luiz Bonfa (on Getz’s Jazz Samba Encore!). In describing the appeal of bossa nova, musician Sérgio Mendes stated: “I think it’s very sensual, it’s very romantic, and you can also dance to it. Those three components make it very, very beautiful. And it has great melodies – melodies that you can remember.”

In 1963 Getz met up with bossa nova great, João Gilberto, to record an album in New York. Along with composer and pianist, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and João Gilberto’s wife, Astrud Gilberto, they set out to record what would become a cornerstone in bossa nova, jazz, and music itself. The importance of the first track, “The Girl from Ipanema ”, cannot be overstated. The song is one of the most popular jazz songs ever recorded, winning song of the year in the Grammys (fuck the Grammys though), and launching the album Getz / Gilberto, as well as the genres of bossa nova and jazz into the international mainstream in a way they never had before. The charming, delicate, and somewhat muted voice in the chorus belongs to Astrud Gilberto, who had never sung outside her home before the recording of the album. As legend has it, the duo needed another English-speaking singer, and at the time Astrud was the only English speaker in the studio besides Getz (João only spoke Portuguese). Many credit Astrud’s vocals for the song’s popularity, and credit “The Girl from Ipanema '' with the album’s commercial success. Astrud Gilberto went on to her own prolific solo career, maintaining a position as one of the most exceptional bossa nova vocalists of all time. “The Girl from Ipanema '' is the most popular bossa nova song ever released. The rest of the tracks on Getz / Gilberto do hold their own weight, however. Like all good albums, it should be listened to in its entirety. However, some notable tracks are: “Para Machuchar Meu Coracao” (a sweeping ballad of lonesomeness and intensity), “Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)” (again featuring Astrud), and “Desafiado” (an intimate track showcasing Getz’s virtuosic hold over the tenor sax). After its release, Getz / Gilberto became the best-selling jazz album to date and was the only jazz album to win album of the year at the Grammys (until 2008). It was also the first non-American album to win Album of the Year. The album catapulted jazz and bossa nova into the mainstream, showing jazz fans that their genre had the ability to be artistically impressive while containing broad appeal. Perhaps it is the smoothness of the language of Portuguese, the off-beat sounds of samba, or the collective musical greatness of Getz, the Gilbertos, Jobim, and more. Regardless, the commercial success of the album permanently changed the landscape of modern jazz.

Despite having a seriously fraught relationship, Getz and Gilberto made a follow up album, Getz/ Gilberto #2 Live at Carnegie Hall. This album, like its predecessor, was exceptional, keeping bossa nova and jazz at the forefront. Getz and Gilberto’s frustration toward each other continued such that on their third and final album (and my favorite of the three) Getz / Gilberto ’76, they ended up splitting the album right in half, one taking side A, the other side B. Getz / Gilberto ’76 is perhaps the most intimate, passionate, and soothing album I have ever listened to. The cover art on all three albums was done by Brazilian abstract impressionist Olga Albizu. The artwork pairs well with the flowing and colorful sounds of all three albums.

One of my favorite parts about jazz music is the interplay between intensity and delicacy, of the sounds that remind you of breathing alongside the strength and power behind a winding solo. Getz / Gilberto accomplishes all of these marks, bringing genres together, and showing the world that jazz was far from dead, but actually had the capacity to entertain, engross, excite, and if you’re me, bring you to tears. Put this album on at any dinner party and your guests will feel classy, at ease, upbeat, and undeniably suave

PS: A fun fact, our Grandma (a longtime jazz fan) was once asked on a date by Stan Getz at one of his shows. She turned him down.