João Gilberto: Rosa Morena
The “father of bossa nova,” João Gilberto has passed away at 88 years old. His debut album Chega de Saudade was released in 1959 and is widely credited as the first-ever bossa nova record. It blends traditional samba with contemporary jazz, Gilberto’s unique guitar style, and his unhurried, effortless vocals. Gilberto frequently teamed up with Antônio Carlos Jobim as well as American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz—most famously on 1964’s Getz/Gilberto, where “The Girl From Ipanema” appears. A perfectionist, Gilberto apparently insisted upon some 28 takes of “Rosa Morena” on his debut, in order to perfect the pronunciation of “Rosa.”
