We lost a musical giant a few days ago when singer and guitarist Joao Gilberto passed away at the age of 88.
He was considered “the father of bossa nova,” singing softly in Portuguese while playing his quiet guitar. Gilberto helped popularize countryman Antonio Carlos Jobim’s songs in the early 1960s.
In 1963 he recorded with Stan Getz, and a song from the album became a giant hit that launched bossa nova here in the U.S. – “The Girl from Ipanema,” with his wife Astrud Gilberto singing in English and Joao singing in Portuguese. I used to enjoy playing it and other songs by him on my jazz show on my college radio station in the late 1960s.
Listen here to bring back good memories.