Search - Joao Gilberto :: Chega De Saudade (Hybr)

João Gilberto - "Chega de Saudade"

Edwin Webster | Spanaway, WA, USA | 04/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was only about 15 years old when my uncle came to San Francisco to visit from my native country of Brazil. He brought with him a copy of this album in 33-1/3 rpm vinyl format, which I still have (though scratchy from the years of play).



Upon first hearing João Gilberto's music, I became a fan, which I remain, 45 years later.



Being a Brazilian by birth, but having lived in the US since age 7, this album has remained one of the few ties I have had to my native land. Other relatives have given me albums by other Brazilian artists, but none have had the effect of reaching my spirit as has this one.



João's style is so calming and relaxing that one doesn't need to understand Portuguese in order to appreciate the beauty of his music. No true lover of jazz can say his collection is complete without at least one album by João Gilberto--after all, Bossa Nova is but a sub-genre of jazz and should never be confused with the travesty of the term as used by the Gormé's in their pop song "Blame it on the Bossa Nova," recorded in the '60's.



If one was to choose only one album by João Gilberto, this is the one to choose."