Jobim
The brilliant Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim's collaborations with singerJoao Gilberto, guitaristCharlie Byrd, and saxophonistStan Getzspearheaded the bossa nova sound in the 1960s with such hits as "The One Note Samba" and "The Girl from Ipanema." But, as this rich, 1973 reissue amply illustrates, Jobim was capable of creating music that revealed the full encyclopedic scope of his eclectic genius. Jobim's achy vocals and spare guitar and piano work are backed by an all-star orchestra, conducted and arranged by Claus Ogerman, featuring bassistsRon CarterandRichard Davisand percussionistAirto Moreira. The plaintive "Aguas de Marco/Waters of March," "Maite Pere," and "Ana Luiza" ring with the haunting feel ofsaudade--the Afro-Portuguese equivalent of the blues. But, as his award-winning soundtrack ofBlack Orpheusproved, Jobim was also an exceptional film composer, and his evocative score for "Cronica de Casa Assassinada/Chronicle of the Murdered House" on this disc is filled with faraway train sounds and dreamy Ravel-Debussy impressionism. The angelic instrumentals "Um Rancho Nas Nuvens," "Tiemp do Mar," and "Nuvens Douradas" highlight the cool, continental confluence ofVilla-Lobos,Gershwin, andEllingtonthat made  Antonio Carlos Jobim's music timeless.--Eugene Holley Jr.