Brief History of the Music:

The Bossa Nova movement of the late 1950s, led by guitarist-vocalist João Gilberto and composer Antônio Carlos Jobim, originated in the wealthy neighborhoods that sprouted along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Creating an alternative to the traditional binary samba beat, Bossa Nova drew together diverse, syncopated rhythms and spare, chromatic melodic lines. A typical ensemble included acoustic guitar, voice, and standard drum set. Bossa Nova lyrics, before the military coup of 1964, reflected the carefree lifestyles led by the middle and upper classes. "Girl From Ipanema" and "Desafinado" are perhaps the best-known songs from this period.

Above all, Bossa Nova (literally, "new thing" or "new way") was cool - languid, good-humored, and intelligent. Its innovators were strongly influenced by contemporary jazz from up north, and it wasn't long before American jazz musicians were in turn fascinated with Bossa Nova. The saxophonist StanGetz and guitarist Charlie Byrd, two of the early champions of Bossa, were among the many who contributed to the huge wave of international popularity that Bossa enjoyed at this time.

The 1960s in Brazil brought a surge in political activity and socio-economic awareness - and a growing dissatisfication with the apolitical message of mainstream Bossa Nova. Following the coup of 1964, a second generation of Bossa Nova musicians emerged. The music they composed was quite different from that created by the first generation of Bossa Nova musicians, serving as witness to the plight of the Brazilian population and denouncing the country's newly installed military government. For this new wave of Bossa composers, songwriting became a form of political protest. In spite of their differences, both styles of Bossa Nova were intimately entwined with Brazil's history and reflect the eras in which they were created -- one a time of growth and the other a time of struggle. And both remain true to the irrepressible spirit of the Brazilian people.