Getz Au Go Go
The sultry, cool vocals of Astrud Gilberto steal the show of this live 1964 set, recorded in Greenwich Village's Cafe Au Go Go. Backed by Gary Burton on the vibes, Gene Cherico on bass, and skinsman Joe Hunt, Getz and crew saunter through "Summertime," "The Singing Song," and "6-Nix-Pix-Flix" (the latter two penned by the then-21-year-old Burton). Of course, nothing comes close to the magic of Gilberto and her breathtaking contributions on "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars," "It Might as Well Be Spring," and "The Telephone Song." Compared to some of his more adventurous early-'60s recordings (Focus,Mickey One),Getz Au Go-Go--the saxophonist's last bossa nova disc--is an oasis of comforting cool-jazz sounds.--James Hendrickson