| Author |
Topic: RIP Joao Gilberto |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
|
|
 |
Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
|
Posted 6 Jul 2019 4:44 pm |
|
Godspeed Joao.
Pronounced: zjoh-ow
Many have heard of his wife Astrud, but Joao was responsible for the advent of bossanova.
The world's first bossanova song and written by Joao was Bim Bom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFdWNktUWq0
A Brazilian singer/guitarist made his mark on the planet with his, then, "unusual" soothing style that many of us in the 60's embraced, a stark contrast to the "noise" of rock and the complexity of jazz.
Here Joao sings Desafinado:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6w3a2v_50U
Joao Gilberto
Joao and Astrud
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
|
|
|
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
|
Posted 7 Jul 2019 1:27 am
|
|
The coolest piano player and the smoothest voice in the world. Goodbye.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
|
|
|
Douglas Schuch
From:
Valencia, Philippines
|
Posted 7 Jul 2019 4:54 am
|
|
I have said that if I had not broken my left index finger, which then did not heal properly, limiting it's flexibility, I probably would be playing a 6-string nylon-string guitar attempting bossa nova instead of steel guitar. But what prevents me from playing the standard C-chord on a 6-string guitar allows me to hold a steel bar no problem - so I took up steel guitar.
When you think of music genres, almost never can you point to one person and say "he started it", but with bossa nova, Gilberto indeed did. Charlie McDonald - I think perhaps you are thinking of Antonio "Tom" Jobim - he is the one who first got Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto (and Astrud) together, and is known more as a pianist as well as a composer. Joao is mostly known for playing guitar. And I ran across this tidbit of information reading today: "According to Brazilian musician Paulo Bitencourt, João Gilberto, known for his eccentricity and obsessed by the idea of finding a new way of playing the guitar, often locked himself in the bathroom, where he played one and the same chord for many hours in a row." Does this remind anyone of the stories of Buddy Emmons' early practice methods?
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental! |
|
|
|
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
|
Posted 7 Jul 2019 5:35 am
|
|
Thank you, Douglas. Didn't know that was Jobim. They were all pretty smooth on Getz/Gilberto.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
|
|
|
John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
|
Posted 7 Jul 2019 12:04 pm
|
|
My god, hadn't heard this sad news, the Forum is often my best news feed. Love his songs, singing, guitar playing. That first hit Bossa Nova album with Stan Getz and Joao's wife Astrud is still in heavy rotation on my iPod. RIP, Joao!
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 7 Jul 2019 1:42 pm
|
|
Joao apparently forgave Getz for having an affair with Astrud and ending his marriage as the two later worked together on this beautiful record: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSGoz_g25C8
Getz, for my money, possessed the greatest sax sound of all time and a deeply romantic soul yet was a first-class heel of a human being who treated his family and friends like crap. As the old jazz bon mot goes, "Stan Getz is a nice bunch of guys."
Have you heard Joao's daughter Bebel's music? She's a chip off the Bossa Nova block! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9GFJw2ffI4
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
|
|
|
Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
|
Posted 7 Jul 2019 2:38 pm
|
|
Listening to these recordings in the 21st, it appears to me that Getz squatted on the Gilberto's, Joao's in particular, genius and although Getz was instrumental in providing bossanova and Joao's music, a path to prominence, Joao's work can stand alone in posterity. While Getz's sax parts, even though at the time the recordings came out made more sense then, has faded in comparison on the collabs with Joao, when one listens to Joao by himself.
Yes Joao was eccentric but aren't most geniuses of his stature?
Joao's life towards the end was a series of legal hardships with record companies.
As of this writing, there is this uproar, however meek, by what transpired with the fire in the UMG building back in 2008 wherein the masters for almost 30% of the major who's who recordings on the planet mysteriously burnt up. And ongoing is the business tie with UMG partnering with Youtube with plans to "remaster" the videos ( if I'm not mistaken) as if they planned to remaster the audio, where would they be getting the masters to do so if they're burned up?
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
|
|
|
Adair Torres
From:
Sao Paulo, Brazil
|
Posted 8 Jul 2019 6:17 am
|
|
Through the years, we saw many people trying to imitate artists like the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Elton John, The Who, Dylan and etc, etc and etc...
But, we never saw people trying to imitate Brazilian composer and musician João Gilberto. His originality and genius were impossible to recreate.
The world lost one of the greatest! And for me, one of my biggest heroes.
Music syncopation, harmony and melody were never explored at João’s level. The way he played the guitar and sang at the same time was truly unique.
Nobody will ever come close to João in that regard.
Crazy? Strange? Difficult to deal with? Eccentric?
Yes he was all of those things (and many more).
But geniuses are always like that aren’t they?
I hope Brazil will never forget his name because I know, the world will not.
AT
_________________
Adair Torres - Boss at TowerS Steel Guitars
__________________
Zum D10 8X7 Wineberry 2010.
Emmons SD10 3X8 Black 1994.
Derby D10 8X8 Rosewood 2008.
TowerS SD10 3X5 Imbuia Mica Finish 2018 |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 8 Jul 2019 12:02 pm
|
|
Godfrey, I must beg to differ on Getz. As much as I adore Joao, Getz was one of the finest artists in all of jazz throughout his career and his solo on the original version of "Girl; from Ipanema" is one of the greatest improvised solo breaks ever put down on wax - at least in my opinion; just about perfect. Both Jobim and Gilberto were thrilled to work with an artist of Getz's stature - at least as far as the work went. That said, Getz was a huge glory hog and egotist. Charlie Byrd did all the arrangements for their ground breaking 1962 collaboration Jazz - Samba but Getz tried to take all the credit for the huge success of the record. In 1967 Byrd brought a lawsuit against Stan Getz and MGM, contending that he was unfairly paid for his contributions to the 1962 album Jazz Samba. The jury agreed with Byrd and awarded him half the royalties from the LP.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
|
|
|
Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
|
Posted 8 Jul 2019 3:23 pm
|
|
| Andy Volk wrote: |
| Godfrey, I must beg to differ on Getz. As much as I adore Joao, Getz was one of the finest artists in all of jazz throughout his career and his solo on the original version of "Girl; from Ipanema" is one of the greatest improvised |
Andy as I mentioned, for the time they came out it was what needed to happen. Just like Clapton covered I Shot The Sheriff for Marley to get on the train of fame.
I still like Joao by himself, maybe with other instruments that lend themselves to Joao's style. That would be like adding Jimmy Smith, Oscar P to Joao's tracks, yeah great musos but listening today, I feel Getz's great tone and playing is a distraction more than it is a addition.
I can see Joao and Stan working together, they must've had some chemistry going as well personally even if what happened with Astrud was a byproduct of that liaison.
That happened with Clapton and Harrison so it's not an isolated incident.
I can still remember back in the 60's when this, Getz and Gilberto, came out, it was all refreshing to hear.
Everyone respected Stan's abilities, myself included and I still do. Not taking away anything from him. But now looking back, the combination of Getz and Gilberto doesn't sound the same to me today.
I know it's just me.
Figure you have the progenitor of a style working with someone who was like Charlie Parker or Lou Donaldson, or Boots Randolph for that matter, something that was already invented. But then not even that, perhaps similar to the way I like Joni Mitchell's Woodstock with her and a Wurli or Tracy Chapman's Fast Cars just her and guitar. The way they wanted to get Janis Joplin to work with other musos than Big Brother, it would've changed the rawness of the product.
I'm glad Joao recorded by himself. I can remember trying to figure out the chords to Girl From...what a cool section of passing chords and groupings.
And I do agree with Joao that some one his material was mastered horrible and he was right to complain, the perfectionist he was.
I saw Joe Pass all by himself on stage with his guitar. Something like this, I guess.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
|
|
|
Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
|
|
|
|
Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 10 Jul 2019 10:23 am
|
|
Thanks for posting, Andy.
Like so many other genres, I never appreciated the nuance and intricacy of Gilberto’s music until I tried to play it. He was a genius, and probably whatever other baggage goes along with that description.
Adeus y muitissimo obrigado, mestre João. |
|
|
|
