Steve Allen - Plays Bossa Nova Jazz (1963)

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that 2008 is the best year yet!

This album by Steve Allen is starting off a new year of musical postings. It's called "Steve Allen Plays Bossa Nova Jazz" and is really cool! I do love bossa nova, although I was very small when it became the rage and don't remember ever listening to it until I became an adult. I've also wanted to learn to dance the bossa nova, but it wasn't offered at the various dance studios where I spent seven years learning ballroom dancing in the late 1980s and early 1990s. (If anyone out there knows of a video or something that teaches how to dance the bossa nova, please let me know!) Anyway, I really dig this album and it's perfect for cocktail parties or dinner parties. I posted another Steve Allen record last year (I love saying that when "last year" was only a few days ago), but I think I like this one better. You can read about the multi-talented Mr. Allen on Space Age Pop, where there's quite a detailed bio on him.

Here's the list of the other musicians that play on this album:

Donn Trenner, Leader
Bob Enevoldsen, Tenor Sax
Laurindo Almeida, Guitar
John Setar, Flute and Alto Sax
Herb Ellis, Guitar
Jules Bertaux, Bass
Bob Neel, Drums
Frank Rosolino and Jimmy Zito, Brazilian Rhythm instruments

Track listing for Steve Allen Plays Bossa Nova Jazz:

Side 1:
1. Dream
2. St. Louis Blues
3. This Could Be the Start of Something
4. Manhattan
5. The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
6. Sweet Georgia Brown

Side 2:
1. Mah Mah Limbo
2. Time After Time
3. Impossible
4. Lovely to Look At
5. Imagination
6. Let's Fall in Love

Astrud Gilberto - The Astrud Gilberto Album (1965)

This is one of my favorites. I absolutely love the way Astrud Gilberto sings - so easy and effortlessly! Like most folks, the first song I ever heard her sing was "The Girl from Ipanema" - well, I was immediately smitten with her singing! (I used to be able to play that song on the sax.) Also, thanks to her, I was introduced to the bossa nova sound, which I also love. Another good thing about this album is that Antonio Carlos Jobim (another favorite) is featured playing guitar (did I mention that I'm taking guitar lessons now?), and he wrote several of the songs. All in all, you just can't go wrong with this awesome record!

A few months ago, I was watching a movie on cable TV called "Get Yourself a College Girl" - one of those beach party type movies, but instead taking place at a ski resort. Frankie and Annette were not in it, but instead it starred Mary Ann Mobley, Chad Everett, Nancy Sinatra, and several others. Anyway, there's this one scene in the ski lodge where a band starts to play and I immediately recognized the song as "The Girl from Ipanema". It sounded exactly like the recording so I paid special attention. Then who walks in singing the song but Astrud Gilberto! As you see the band, it's Stan Getz playing sax! I was very excited (it's the simple things in life that make me happy!). Anyway, I've posted the video of that scene below the track listing for the album. Enjoy!

Track listing for Astrud Gilberto - The Astrud Gilberto Album:

Side 1:
1. Once I Loved
2. Agua De Beber - with Antonio Carlos Jobim
3. Meditation
4. And Roses And Roses
5. O Morro (Nao Tem Vez)
6. How Insensitive

Side 2:
1. Dindi
2. Photograph
3. Dreamer
4. So Finha De Ser Com Voce
5. All That's Left is to Say Goodbye


Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz performing "The Girl from Ipanema" in the motion picture "Get Yourself a College Girl":