History, Poetics and Politics
of Bossa Nova:
A Lecture at Dartmouth College
by Dario Borim
UMass Dartmouth
On June 2, 2008, Gary Walker and Simon Rentner, from WGBO (New York) wrote:
The summer of 1958 was the season of bossa nova. Fifty years ago, a movement of melody, harmony, lyrics, and rhythm sent a fresh wave of sound throughout Brazil. In the years to follow, a small group of idealistic musicians — including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Joao Gilberto, and a handful of others — would write some of the most enduring melodies in music history.
The summer of 1958 was the season of bossa nova. Fifty years ago, a movement of melody, harmony, lyrics, and rhythm sent a fresh wave of sound throughout Brazil. In the years to follow, a small group of idealistic musicians — including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Joao Gilberto, and a handful of others — would write some of the most enduring melodies in music history.
1) What Is Bossa Nova
* Basically it is elegant slow- to medium-tempo samba music
* Vocals are never loud or too low, like whispering. They should be natural and contribute to a song as much as any instruments will
* Melodies are highly tonal, such as many compositions by Romantic composers Franz Schubert (1797-1828), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Claude Debussy (1862-1918), and Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
* Melodies tend to be minimalist, too—like the modern classical music of the early 20th century and the modern and/or cool jazz by Chat Baker (1929-1988), George Gershwin (1898-1937), and Cole Porter (1891-1964)
* Contemplative and romantic moods are enhanced by lyrics which can be extremely sophisticated in form and content, or surprisingly profound despite a superficial air of simplicity
* Lyrics speak of natural beauty, and even nature’s sustainability, but, most of all, they verge on love that not only inspires thoughts on the gains and losses of romance, but also spellbinds people to see the divine and the sublime in their loved ones
2) Chronology of Bossa Nova’s Ancestry, Birth and Development
1953-1954. Brazilian jazz gets started with the LPs Laurindo Almeida Quartet Vols 1 and 2, later reissued as Brazilliance, featuring saxophonist Bud Shank, bassist Harry Babasin, and drummer Roy Harte.
1956. Vinicius de Moraes’s play Orfeu da Conceição includes songs with lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes and music by Antonio Carlos Jobim, including “Se todos fossem Iguais a você.” A marvelous partnership is born between Moraes and Jobim. Oscar Niemeyer does the scenario. Casting is predominantly African-Brazilian. It’s the first time a black Brazilian takes to Rio’s magnificent Teatro Municipal stage.
Mid-to-Late 1950s. Albums by several West Coast jazz artists like Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, and Gerry Mulligan, and many others, are brought to and enjoyed in Brazil.
1957. Producers of Marcel Camus’ French-Italian-Brazilian feature movie Black Orpheus demand new song titles (to make money out of the copyright). It is felicitous move for the world of music. Wonderful pieces are written: “Amor,” by Jobim; “A felicidade” (Happiness), by Jobim and Moraes; “Manhã de Carnaval” (Carnaval Mornings) by Luís Bonfá; and “Samba de Orfeu” (Orfeu’s Samba), by Bonfá e Antônio Maria.
1958. Bossa nova starts to become nationally known with the release of Elizeth Cardoso’s Odeon album, Canção do amor demais (Song on Unduly Love) with songs and arrangements by Jobim and guitar accompaniment by João Gilberto.
1959. Chega de saudade (No More Sadness), by Tom Jobim and João Gilberto, becomes the first bossa nova album to be recorded. Ronaldo Bôscoli and Luís Carlos Miele start bossa nova shows in Beco das Garrafas, in Copacabana.
1962. First bossa nova concert in the United States happens at New York’s Carnegie Hall, with Jobim, Gilberto, Carlos Lyra, Milton Banana, and many more artists. Charlie Byrd and other jazz musicians visit Brazil on a mission sponsored by the United States government to promote John Kennedy’s initiatives within the Good Neighborhood Policy.
1963. Vinicius de Moraes’ theatrical play Pobre menina rica (Poor rich girl) featuring songs with music by Carlos Lyra, lyrics by Moraes, and arrangements by Eumir Deodato premiers. Singer Nara Leão does her stage debut.
1964. Augusto Boal’s musical Opinião is launched with Nara Leão, Ze Keti, and João do Vale.
1965. First Music Festival of São Paulo takes place. Edu Lobo and Moraes’ “Arrastão” (Netting) wins grand prize. Elis Regina and Jair Rodrigues record the successful album Dois na bossa (Two on Bossa). They do one of two new weekly shows on Brazilian national television focusing on bossa: Fino da bossa and Bossaudade.
1966. Second Music Festival of São Paulo awards Chico Buarque’s “A banda” (The band) and Geraldo Vandré’s “Disparada” (Stampede) the first and second prizes.
1967. It’s the summit of socio-political engagement in Brazilian music and the onset of its most radical enemy, Tropicalism. The song “Ponteio” (On Target) by Edu Lobo and José Carlos Capinan, wins the Third Music Festival of São Paulo, but Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil stun the audience with the use of an electric guitar in “Alegria, alegria” (Joy, Joy) and with the mix of rock and baião in “Domingo no parque” (Sunday at the Park).
1968. Antonio Carlos Jobim and Chico Buarque’s song “Sabiá” is ostensibly booed by thousands of people, but it ends up winning Rio’s Third International Music Festival. The song that becomes an anthem of Brazil’s politically-aware youth, “Para não dizer que não falei de flores,” by Geraldo Vandré, comes in second. Caetano Veloso creates a scandal and is treated like a renegade because of “É proibido proibir” (It’s Prohibited to Prohibit). Televsion surpasses the power of radio audiences throughout Brazil.
3) Suggested Listening
Bonfá, Luiz. Solo in Rio. 1959. Smithsonian Folkways, 2005.
Getz, Stan and Charlie Byrd. Jazz Samba. Verve, 1962.
Getz, Stan and João Gilberto. Getz/Gilberto. Polygram, 1963.
Gilberto, Astrud. The Finest Hour. Umvd, 2001.
Jobim, Antonio Carlos and Elis Regina. Elis & Tom. Polygram, 1974.
Jobim, Antonio Carlos. Wave. A&M, 1967.
Lamm, Robert. The Bossa Project. Blue Infinity, 2008.
Leão, Nara. Garota de Ipanema. Universal/Polygram, 2007.
Nascimento, Milton and Trio Jobim. Novas Bossas. Blue Note, 2008.
Passos, Rosa. Amorosa. Sony, 2004.
Quarteto Jobim-Morelembaum. Velas, 2000.
Samba Bossa Nova. Putumayo, 2002.
Souza, Luciana. The New Bossa Nova. Verve, 2007.
Yo-Yo Ma. Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert. Sony 2004.
Getz, Stan and João Gilberto. Getz/Gilberto. Polygram, 1963.
Gilberto, Astrud. The Finest Hour. Umvd, 2001.
Jobim, Antonio Carlos and Elis Regina. Elis & Tom. Polygram, 1974.
Jobim, Antonio Carlos. Wave. A&M, 1967.
Lamm, Robert. The Bossa Project. Blue Infinity, 2008.
Leão, Nara. Garota de Ipanema. Universal/Polygram, 2007.
Nascimento, Milton and Trio Jobim. Novas Bossas. Blue Note, 2008.
Passos, Rosa. Amorosa. Sony, 2004.
Quarteto Jobim-Morelembaum. Velas, 2000.
Samba Bossa Nova. Putumayo, 2002.
Souza, Luciana. The New Bossa Nova. Verve, 2007.
Yo-Yo Ma. Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert. Sony 2004.
4) Suggested Reading
Castro, Ruy. Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music that Seduced the World. Chicago: Chicago Review, 2003.
Motta, Nelson. Noites tropicais: solos, improvisos e memórias musicais. Rio de Janeiro: Objetiva, 2000.
Veloso, Caetano. Tropical Truth: A Story of Music and Revolution in Brazil. New York: Da Capo, 2003.
Perrone, Charles A. and Christopher J. Dunn. Brazilian Popular Music and Globalization. Gainesville, FL: U. of Florida P., 2001.
_____. "Bossa Nova at Home and Abroad." All About Jazz. 20 Sept 2008 <http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=8619>.
Perrone, Charles A. Letras e letras da MPB. 2nd. ed. Rio de Jaaneiro: Booklink, 2008.
McGowan, Christopher and Ricardo Peçanha. The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil. Rev. ed. Philadelphia, PA: Temple UP, 2008.
5) Web Sites for Reference and Delight in English
Perrone, Charles A. Letras e letras da MPB. 2nd. ed. Rio de Jaaneiro: Booklink, 2008.
McGowan, Christopher and Ricardo Peçanha. The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil. Rev. ed. Philadelphia, PA: Temple UP, 2008.
5) Web Sites for Reference and Delight in English
BBC documentary in six short clips of app. 10 minutes each: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Brasil%2C+Brasil+-+Samba+to+Bossa&aq=f
Documentary on Vinicius de Moraes: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3686850469619880817
Music stream: http://http://www.pandora.com
Video clips from the Portuguese-speaking world: http://www.laframenta.com/
6) Web Sites in Portuguese for Research
Archives: http://http://www.discosdobrasil.com.br
