Astrud Gilberto passed away at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy of introducing the enchanting sound of Brazilian bossa nova to a global audience. Her collaborations with jazz greats such as Stan Getz, Gil Evans, and Stanley Turrentine further solidified the connection between bossa nova and jazz music.
Gilberto had a disarmingly humble voice, sometimes singing off-key and barely above a whisper; yet the effect was intimate and seemingly weightless. Her Brazilian accent added an endearing touch of approachability to her English renditions of songs written by legendary Brazilian composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim. Her earlier recordings are particularly radiant, steeped in the bittersweet nostalgia that Brazilians call saudade.
Below are six unforgettable performances by Astrud Gilberto.
Stan Getz featuring Astrud Gilberto: “The Girl From Ipanema” (1963)
This is the bossa nova classic that captured the hearts of music lovers worldwide. It was a collaborative effort between the American saxophonist Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, and her then-husband, the definitive bossa nova guitarist and singer João Gilberto. The full-length version features João Gilberto singing the Portuguese lyrics, but the single version that conquered the world quickly transitions to Astrud Gilberto’s breathy voice in English, with Jobim’s perfect piano notes complementing her vocals.
The New Stan Getz Quartet featuring Astrud Gilberto: “It Might as Well Be Spring” (1964)
In this live performance of the Rodgers and Hammerstein standard with the Stan Getz Quartet, Gilberto exudes poise and confidence while musing on the possibility of love as Getz’s saxophone dances around her.
“Água de Beber” (1965)
Jobim collaborates with Gilberto on her sublime solo debut album, “The Astrud Gilberto Album.” Their charming rendition of Jobim’s bossa nova classic, “Água de Beber” (“Water to Drink”), features his voice shadowing hers, producing a song that sparkles with mutual fondness and love.
“The Shadow of Your Smile” (1965)
This Oscar- and Grammy-winning song from the movie “The Sandpiper” brilliantly blends bossa nova influences with a studio orchestra. The instrumental flourishes – strings, flutes, piano, and vibraphone – surround Gilberto’s voice with a serene wistfulness that makes the song unforgettable.
“Berimbau” (1966)
Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes’ “Berimbau” features the distinctive sound of the one-stringed Bahian percussion instrument while Gil Evans’ brass arrangement highlights Gilberto’s vocal syncopation.
“Maria Quiet” (1966)
While Gilberto sang mostly about love’s arrival and departure, she occasionally turned to broader concerns such as the feminist resentment in “Maria Quiet,” a brisk samba with lyrics (de Moraes translated by Norman Gimbel) about women’s lifelong work. Gilberto delivers a sharp and quietly seething interpretation of the song.
