Jazz Samba
Encyclopedia
Jazz Samba is a bossa nova
LP by Stan Getz
and Charlie Byrd
, released on the Verve
label on April 20, 1962.
Jazz Samba was the first major bossa-nova album on the American
jazz
scene. It was the real start of the bossa-nova excitement in America, which peaked in the mid-1960s. Though Stan Getz was the featured star of the album, it was very strongly inspired and designed by the guitar
ist Charlie Byrd. They were joined by two bass
ists (Keter Betts
and Charlie's brother, Gene (Joe) Byrd), and two drum
mers (Buddy Deppenschmidt
and Bill Reichenbach
) for the recording at All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, D.C.
on February 13, 1962, and it was released on April 20, that year as Verve LP V6-8432.
Although it is often described as music by Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim
, only two of the seven tracks on the album are Jobim compositions ("Desafinado" [Slightly Out of Tune] and "Samba de Uma Nota Só" [One Note Samba]), the rest being by other Brazil
ian composers and by Charlie Byrd. Getz won the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance of 1963
for the track "Desafinado", and went on to make many other bossa-nova recordings, most notably with João Gilberto
and Astrud Gilberto
, and most famously "The Girl From Ipanema
".
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
LP by Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
and Charlie Byrd
Charlie Byrd
Charlie Lee Byrd was a famous and versatile American guitarist born in Suffolk, Virginia. His earliest and strongest musical influence was Django Reinhardt, the famous gypsy guitarist. Byrd became the American guitarist who best understood and played Brazilian music, especially the Bossa Nova genre...
, released on the Verve
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
label on April 20, 1962.
Jazz Samba was the first major bossa-nova album on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
scene. It was the real start of the bossa-nova excitement in America, which peaked in the mid-1960s. Though Stan Getz was the featured star of the album, it was very strongly inspired and designed by the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Charlie Byrd. They were joined by two bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ists (Keter Betts
Keter Betts
Keter Betts was an American jazz double bassist. Born William Thomas Betts in Port Chester, New York, he was nicknamed "Keter", a short form of the word mosquito.-Career:...
and Charlie's brother, Gene (Joe) Byrd), and two drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
mers (Buddy Deppenschmidt
Buddy Deppenschmidt
Buddy Deppenschmidt is an American jazz drummer. He recorded with Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd and Bill Reichenbach. Their album Jazz Samba, recorded live on February 13, 1962, started a craze in North America for Latin American music...
and Bill Reichenbach
William Frank Reichenbach Sr.
Bill Reichenbach Sr., was an American jazz drummer and percussionist, who co-developed the jazz-samba drumming style.- Life and career :...
) for the recording at All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on February 13, 1962, and it was released on April 20, that year as Verve LP V6-8432.
Although it is often described as music by Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
, only two of the seven tracks on the album are Jobim compositions ("Desafinado" [Slightly Out of Tune] and "Samba de Uma Nota Só" [One Note Samba]), the rest being by other Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian composers and by Charlie Byrd. Getz won the Grammy for Best Jazz Performance of 1963
Grammy Awards of 1963
The 5th Grammy Awards were held on May 15, 1963. They recognized accomplishments by musicians for the year 1962.- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Tony Bennett for "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"*Album of the Year...
for the track "Desafinado", and went on to make many other bossa-nova recordings, most notably with João Gilberto
João Gilberto
João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira, known as João Gilberto , is a Brazilian singer and guitarist. His seminal recordings, including many songs by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, established the new musical genre of Bossa nova in the late 1950s.-Biography:From an early age, music...
and Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She is well known for the Grammy Award-winning song "The Girl from Ipanema".-Biography:...
, and most famously "The Girl From Ipanema
The Girl from Ipanema
"Garota de Ipanema" is a well-known bossa nova song, a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s that won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. It was written in 1962, with music by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. English lyrics were written later by Norman Gimbel.The...
".
Side one
- "Desafinado" (Antonio Carlos JobimAntônio Carlos JobimAntônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
, Newton MendonçaNewton MendonçaNewton Ferreira de Mendonça was a musician, composer, and lyricist. He began as a pianist in 1950. In 1953 he started working with Antonio Carlos Jobim, something for which he is best known. Mendonça went on to co-compose music and lyrics for Desafinado, Meditação, and Samba de uma nota só...
) — 5:52 - "Samba Dees Days" (Charlie ByrdCharlie ByrdCharlie Lee Byrd was a famous and versatile American guitarist born in Suffolk, Virginia. His earliest and strongest musical influence was Django Reinhardt, the famous gypsy guitarist. Byrd became the American guitarist who best understood and played Brazilian music, especially the Bossa Nova genre...
) — 3:35 - "O Pato" (Jayme Silva, Neuza Teixeira) — 2:34
- "Samba Triste" (Baden Powell, Billy Blanco) — 4:44
Side two
- "Samba de Uma Nota Só" (Antonio Carlos JobimAntônio Carlos JobimAntônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
, Newton MendonçaNewton MendonçaNewton Ferreira de Mendonça was a musician, composer, and lyricist. He began as a pianist in 1950. In 1953 he started working with Antonio Carlos Jobim, something for which he is best known. Mendonça went on to co-compose music and lyrics for Desafinado, Meditação, and Samba de uma nota só...
) — 6:12 - "É Luxo Só" (Ary BarrosoAry BarrosoAry Barroso was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV...
) — 3:43 - "Baia" (Ary BarrosoAry BarrosoAry Barroso was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV...
) — 6:49
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) (mono) | 1 |