Bossa Nova was a completely new variant of jazz created in Brazil in the late 1950’s. Literally meaning New Wave or New Beat, the center of Bossa Nova is the guitar. This makes a cooler, more romantic sound than the frantic horn-based bebop or the loose harmony of free jazz.
Bossa Nova combined its roots in samba with an influence from blues. But most famously, it used a soft, sensual singing style instead of a brassy or confident fashion.
The smooth sexy sounds of Bossa Nova were first created in Rio De Janeiro by João Gilberto. It was later popularized by Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Strongly rooted in Brazil, it may be the closest thing to folk jazz that exists. Centered around the songwriter, they first focused on love and longing. But later in the sixties many Bossa Nova hits expressed political frustration.
Bossa Nova, though, is usually easy music about an easy lifestyle.. In fact, “The Girl from Ipanema,” is a song about a woman walking down the beach, the way she moves and how beautiful she is.
You can listen to the classic of Bossa Nova here and here. You can also get the albums of the above mentioned artists. For a more modern take, closer to acid jazz, listen to BossaElectrica, or TecnoBossa.
Ulviyya regularly sings Bossa Nova standards and interprets current hits in Bossa Nova style. Links to come!
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