Astrud Gilberto, who as the wife of Brazilian singer João Gilberto was urged to record The Girl From Ipanema and Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars in English in March 1963 because he didn't speak the language and whose hits sent the bossa nova into the pop stratosphere and made her an unlikely star, died on June 5. She was 83. [Photo above of Astrud Gilberto by Hank O'Neal]
Gilberto would go on to record numerous bossa nova and pop albums. Rather than return to Brazil with her husband in the mid-1960s, she reportedly had an affair with Getz, which led to her divorce and U.S. residency. As a single woman and an unintended sex symbol, she found herself thrust into the public light. Not a natural or trained singer or performer, Gilberto feared the exposure. I recall multiple attempts to gain an interview with her without success. Her most recent interview was conducted decades ago and her hermetic personal life was topped only by Bobby Gentry for her unwillingness to engage the media on her past artistic accomplishments. [Photo above of Astrud Gilberto]
Accounts vary as to whether her English vocal on the Verve album Getz/Gilberto was a spur of the moment decision by producer Creed Taylor in the recording studio or if she already expected to record the English vocal and had rehearsed days earlier at Stan Getz's house when she and her husband stayed with the tenor saxophonist and his wife. Either way, the vocal she delivered was groundbreaking. It was innocent, sexy and nonchalant—all of which was in sync with the times.
By 1963, the American female ideal had shifted from the bombshell of the 1950s to the doe-like waif embodied by Jean Seberg, Lee Remick, Shirley Knight, Natalie Wood and Audrey Hepburn among others. Gilberto was the first in the 1960s to project this innocent, sensual image and persona in pop music. Blossom Dearie, of course, had already pioneered the high-voiced, relaxed style in jazz-pop recordings and performances in the 1950s.
In many respects, Gilberto's life story was both a joyous and a sad one. Joyous for how her unassuming clarinet-like voice inspired generations of female singers such as Sade, Basia and Stacy Kent. Sad in that she hadn't planned to be a stage or recording artist, and that being forced to sing to earn a living, she endured ridicule for her untrained voice and harassment and abuse by men who held power over her.
Here's the only video you really need to watch of Astrud Gilberto, who was most at ease in the Netherlands with Pim Jacobs on piano, Rudd Brink on tenor saxophone, Wim Overgaauw on guitar and Don Un-Romeo on drums in October 1965 on NCRV-TV...
Here's one of my favorite Gilberto albums, with organist Walter Wanderley, from 1966...
Here's Look to the Rainbow in 1966, arranged by Gil Evans...
Here's her Windy album, from 1968, with arrangements by Don Sebesky, Eumir Deodato and Pat Williams...
And finally, here's Gilberto on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1970 singing a bossa nova medley...