Monday, June 12, 2017

Sanity Sunday- Four by Antonio Carlos Jobim

 by Nomad


Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1927, Antônio Carlos Jobim, also known as Tom Jobim, became known for as the moving force for bossa nova style in the 1960s.  Jobim was a composer, pianist, songwriter, arranger, and singer.
He was described by friend
He was a gentle man highly interested in all kinds of music, from classical and jazz to Brazilian, Latin and American popular music. Even then he was a great talker when the subjects were music and women.
If that photo is anything to go by, I am sure he was a hit with the ladies. Make no mistake, Jobim was a serious artist.
Generally speaking, he was much more intelligent than most musicians, but he respected the ones he considered talented and intelligent. Usually, he lost patience easily when someone argued things without a musical base, with nonsense arguments.
Jobim composed "Desafinado" (translated from Portuguese as "Off Key") and became a major hit in 1962. for Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd.


In 1965, Jobim joined American saxophonist Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto in the album, Getz/Gilberto. It went on to become the first jazz album to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.  

"The Girl from Ipanema" also won the award for Record of the Year in 1965. It remains a classic today.


The next song, Brazil, was actually written in in 1939 and was famously performed by Xavier Cugat in 1943 and later in 1957 by Frank Sinatra. Jobim put his own stamp on the song in his fifth album, Stone Flower, in 1970.


The next song, Wave, comes from his third album, released in 1967. Here, the accent is much more on the jazz.


In closing, I wanted to share this comment on Youtube about the Jobim composition, "Desafinado":
I'm laying on my couch now, the balcony doors are open, the sun is shining and I can smell the spring. Somewhere in my houseblock one of my neighbors is playing Desafinado by Stan Getz. A great way to spend my Sunday afternoon and get happy.
What better tribute to an artist can there be. Have a wonderful Sunday!