Stupid Question of the day: Who sang "Girl From Ipanema"?

[vi5]

I mean the most famous version that most people know.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Astrid Gilberto

Not sure of the spelling.

[edzontar]

2. That's right....

The album is Getz-Gilberto, a collaboration of Stan Getz with Astrid's father, a briliant guitarist,

It's on CD in a nice new mix.

Get it today!!!!

[Atlant]

8. There's also a version on a Jobim retrospective...

There's also a version on an Antonio Carlos Jobim
retrospective CD.

It starts with (I guess) Jobim singing, but then a very
recognizable female voice takes over, followed by a very
recognizable sax; very cool! :-)

Atlant

[progressivejazz]

10. Not her father, I think.

Her husband, Joao Gilberto, was a famous singer in Brazil. My memory of this album is that it was conceived largely as a vehicle to bring his talent into view in the United States. But when they heard Astrud during the practise sessions, they felt her performance of this song would be a blockbuster. And they were right.

Try listening to some of her husband's work (they are now divorced, I believe). He's great, too. The most flawless and moving recording of the song "Wave" I've ever heard was done by Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim. I heard it once, and have never been able to find it in the catalogs. Some day, though.

[BurtWorm]

3. I think it's Astrud

[kclown]

4. And she is alive and well toda

I'm pretty sure I read within the past year that she is in her
late 50's and a cosmetics entrepreneur.

[Squeech]

12. Bossa Nova factoids

Actually the woman of whom you speak is the actual subject of the song. Her name is (something like) Heloiza Pinto, and as a teenager she used to walk down the street toward the beach past the bar where Vinicius de Moraes and Antonio Carlos Jobim used to hang. De Moraes remarked to Jobim about how Ms. Pinto made him go aah, and Jobim answered that there was probably a song in that, so they proceded to write it. And the rest is history.

De Moraes wrote the Portuguese lyrics to "Garota da Ipanema," as well as a bunch of other bossa nova standards. He was enough of a musician to compose some tunes as well, although not to the standard of Jobim, Gilberto, Caymmi et al. Nowadays the street where the bar is has been renamed to Rua Vinicius de Moraes. Jobim now has the international airport that serves Rio de Janeiro named after him. (Musicians take note: the three letter air traffic code for that airport is GIG!)

My wife brought home from Brazil a book on the history of bossa nova. I haven't read it all (it's in Portuguese), but the gist of it is that Joao Gilberto is the real originator of that sound and its most accomplished practitioner, that Jobim's role was primarily that he wrote tunes that played to Gilberto's strengths. I'm not sure I buy the premise, but as feeble as my Portuguese is I'm also not sure I understand it enough to comment. But I do think there are stunning tunes in Jobim's book, including "Wave," "Agua de Beber," "Chega de Saudade" (the modulation from the minor key verse to the major key chorus is utterly brilliant), "Desafinado," etc. I've promised myself (and my wife) that if I ever have free time again I'm going to take lessons in bossa nova guitar.

[MercutioATC]

5. Listen to Astrud's daughter Bebel Gilberto...amazing voice.

"Tanto Tempo" is the album I'm most familiar with. Thievery Corporation has also sampled some of her stuff (as well as some of Astrud's) for their mixes. Very listenable stuff.

[StaggerLee]

6. Not a stupid question!

Beautiful song.
Gorgeous voice!

[CO Liberal]

7. And One Hell of a Sax Solo

:-)

[StaggerLee]

9. oh yeah!

:D

[bif]

11. There's a saying among musicians about Stan

"If all sax players could sound like Stan Getz, they would."

[newyawker99]

13. Tall and tan and young and lovely..

the girl from Ipenema goes walking
and when she passes, each one she passes goes
Ahhhhhhhh!!!!


A great song!! :-)