Search - Astrud Gilberto :: Silver Collection

Sunny introduction to a unique vocal style.

darragh o'donoghue | 03/04/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Astrud Gilberto's great claim to immortality is her contribution to the 'Getz/Gilberto' album that for one brief moment made bossa nova, that sad melodic jazz from scorching Brazil, the coolest music in the world. That album was in effect a mariage of four voices - the plangent, supple saxophone of Stan Getz; the song-writing and piano-playing melancholy of Antonio Carlos Jobim; the guitar-strumming and mysterious mumbling of Joao Gilberto; and his wife Astrud. Although, creatively, Astrud has often been under-rated, hers is the face and the distinctive sound of this album - her blank, flat singing, her unflappable cool in Portuguese and slight nervousness in English, were the necessary board on which the three men projected their individual eloquence. Some of her most famous Jobim interpretations are featured here, including the spry sadness of 'Once I Loved'; the lush despair of 'Agua De Beber'; and the bright reverie of 'O Morro (Nao Tom Vez). 'Insensatez' is her apotheosis, the emotion banished from her numb monotone revealed in the anguish of the music - listen for the scuttering flute on 'and now he's gone'.This collection is instructive in showing how bossa nova quickly disintegrated from its fresh initial impulse into cynical elevator music. Compare the simple intricacy of Jobim's arrangements to the strings-saturated muzak of 'Non Stop To Brazil'. Nevertheless, the CD is full of goodies, oddities and surprises. Many of the songs bear traces of the contemporary European torch songs by the likes of Francoise Hardy and Michel Legrand - 'The Shadow Of Your Smile', 'All That's Left I To Say Goodbye', 'The Gentle Rain' and 'Who Can I Turn To? (When Nobody Loves Me)' are beautiful, aching examples. 'Fly Me To the Moon' is a moving bossa nova defamiliarising of a tired standard; 'Let Go (Canto de Ossanho)' seems to swap Brasil for Blackpool with its jaunty Hammond. There is, especially, one transcendent non-Jobim moment, the stark Luis Bonfa classic 'Manha De Carnaval', less than two munutes stretching out agonising desolation."

A recommended compilation

James Bunnelle | 04/25/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Astrud Gilberto collection is a good introduction for the casual listener. Most of her tunes worth listening to are included, but of course some charming gems have been excluded. (For instance, I wish "Oba, Oba" of the A. Gilberto LP Beach Samba were included. The music box sounds of this track make for an excellent embellishment.) As indicated by a previous reviewer, this album is in need of remastering. Perhaps if you listen to the album at a low volume you won't notice this problem too much! Regardless, The Silver Collection is the best Astrud Gilberto compilation available and is suggested for long-time fans (a way to have your most of your favorites in one place) and for new listeners as introductory material."

Such a sweet voice...but what's up with those violins?

Nimrod | Israel | 03/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gilberto have, in my opinion, the most beautiful voice in the world of jazz. Sometimes, its sweetness and naivity almost makes you cry. However, whoever produced this CD done a terrible job: The violins are way too loud, and sometimes overcome Gilberto herself! A good voice doesn't need anything but a piano, and maybe a background band, but not a violin. Even if you put it, put it in with taste. It's a great CD, but I'd remix it to lower and soften the violins, because Gilberto is more than enough and should be in the center."