Friday, 17 February 2023

Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under : , ,

Wow, the world's first lady of Brazilian music, Astrid Gilberto with an album featuring Eumar Deodato, Airto Moreira, Patrick Adams, Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter, Mike Longo and Billy Cobham!  With a line-up like that, the ten track album originally released in 1972 sells itself.  

Songs sung in both Portuguese and English are trade-mark Gilberto and includes the much loved 'Take It Easy My Brother Charlie' (previously released on BBE as part of 'The Best Of Perception & Today Records' over 10 years ago).

There's a certain amount of 'easy listening' at face value, but considering what was going on in Brazil then and repeating itself today, 'Bridges' and 'Daybreak' have more than just poignancy.  In comparision, this version of 'Gingele'  and 'General da Banda' are great warm-ups for swaying samba/bossa dancing whist 'Baião' is even better.

The opening two tracks are the extremes with the sickly 'Make Love To Me' (that you could only think had the touch of class cheap 70s porn movie soundtrack) and the 'commercial' hit, 'Zigy Zigy Za' that's very future Deodato (where's the longer 12" version?.

Clearly there was more to 'The Girl from Ipanema' than just the one song and from the cover photo she'd certainly grown up from the 'girl' photo of at the airport in the early 60s (bearing in mind, the year before CTI released the 'Gilberto With Turrentine' - Stanley, of course - and similar line-up to this album).  'Now' is a social document of the time that's unexpected found 2023 as another now too!

P.S. You'd also be needing today's 1972 re-issue of Rubinho E Mauro Assumpção – Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei (see review HERE).

 

Artist: Astrud Gilberto

Title: NOW

Release date: 17th February, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE699 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

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