Customer Reviews

Certain Smile Certain Sadness

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After several second-rate Astrud compilations, Verve has finally reissued her one recording with the Walt Wanderly Trio, with bonus tracks and 20-bit digital mapping that results in great clarity and seperation of sound. The six tracks from these sessions tacked on to the end of BEACH SAMBA was a cruel and unusual teaser for Astrud fans, not to mention the smattering of tunes that ended up on various compilations. But one no longer has to spend a small fortune ammassing the tunes from these compilations in order to reconstruct a piecemeal version of the album, because Verve's "By Request" series has finally come through. In my opinion, this is the greatest summer/springtime record of all time: the echoing organ, the percussion, Astrud's vocals--one can't help but picture a polka-dotted beach ball bouncing around on South American shores. Astrud's voice, while never technically stunning and more Chet Baker than Ella Fitzgerald, serves as a stunning counterpart to the small combo's rhythmic drive. Honestly, at times you'd think it was a nonet rather than a trio due to the rich production style that sounds much more like Joao Gilberto's recordings for World Pacific than the subsequent West-Coast influenced Getz recordings. The majority of the tunes are uptempo, with only a couple of ballads thrown in for balance. The Portugese cuts are excellent ("Nega Do Cabelo Duro", "Voce Ja Foi Bahia"), as well as "Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)" and the minor hit "Call Me". For the price, this is a magnificent bargain. Now if Verve would only put out a remastered version of the recording she did with Jobim (apart from the antiquated, horrible-sounding SILVER COLLECTION disk), all would be complete.

One thing must be said about this album: it is not a standard Astrud Gilberto's as everyone got used to listening to. No great Jazz arrangers and no Bossa Nova!

Just because she's backed by the famous Walter Wanderley combo: he was one of the Masters of Samba as played in the organ. He plays Samba but not Bossa Nova in a jazzy way.

A great album, no doubt. The same cool little voice and the same good taste in repertoire which includes the track 'Goodbye Sadness' which stands for 'Tristeza' - a samba standard in Brazil which is credited erroneously as being a composition by Edu Lobo although the real one was Haroldo Lobo.

Ms. Gilberto also sings another beautiful cool Samba rendition of 'Tu Mi Delirio' a wonderful bolero by the great Cuban writer, Mr. Cesar Portillo de La Luz.

Program also offers some bonus tracks - notably 'Who Needs Forever', her great rendition of this great song with arrangement by Quincy Jones and with a spectacular saxophone performance by Zoot Sims. This track comes from the original Quincy Jones' soundtrack of movie 'The Deadly Affair' and this soundtrack CD is also available here @Amazon. This soundtrack CD includes two different though similar renditions of 'Who Needs Forever' by Ms. Gilberto.

If you are a big fan of jazzy Quincy Jones, go on and take this great must-have album. Then you'll gain the wonderful Ms. Gilberto's two renditions of 'Who Needs Forever' plus a big bonus - the complete soundtrack of another movie 'The Pawnbroker' - another great great great Quincy Jones sountrack.

Ok. Hard to make up your mind, no?

The person who stated that the guitarist on this album is Carlos Lyra is WRONG. I am Claudio Slon's discographer and I confirmed with him that the guitarist on the album was really Joao Gilberto. No one has made mention the fact that this album is comprised of all Walter Wanderley arrangments and they are SUPERB. Definitely one of the best U.S. albums either he or Astrud made. Especially listen to "Tristeza" & the "Summer Samba" arrangement that begins in 3/4! Fantastic album.

... This album is full of wonderful Wanderley arrangements, inparticular, "Tristeza" and a completely differentarrangement of "Summer Samba" that begins in 3/4! Astrud's voice is definitely not overpowered by Wanderley's organ playing--which is always tasteful, throughout. If you are an Astrud or WW fan, you MUST have this album!

I had this on vinyl for a very long time. (At an estate sale, I happened upon approximately 60 or so old Brazilian lp's, this being one of them.)

I finally purchased it on cd, and fell in love with it again. Typical Gilberto, and as usual, Wanderly does not fail to deliver the goods.

Also check out Verve's "Round Midnight" collection of Astrud, if only for "Non-Stop to Brazil" alone. That song never fails to please.

Now if I can only find her version of "Planes, Boats and Trains" on cd. Perhaps, if I had to choose, my favorite Astrud song of all time.

This is a great album. Astrud pours her heart out here, while Wlater grinds away at the organ. This is a bossa nova classic al lthe way! Astrud sings en Ingles, es espanol y Brasilian(Porteguese). The Spainish song alone is worth buying the album "Tu mi Delirio" which means Your My Bliss! Also the classic Summer Samba, and a version of a Certian Smile taht makes Jahnny's sound rather bland. A great and fun cd that puts Astrud in a trio jazz setting!

No everything-including-the-kitchen-sink arrangements. Just Gilberto's lush voice, Wanderley's ace organ playing, solid drumming by Claudio Slon and some very welcome guitar by Carlos Lyra (NOT Joćo Gilberto, like the cd booklet wildly guesses), along with a very good selection of songs, make up Astrud's best album. Why is this the best one? Because of the bare bones production, the fantastic playing and the good repertoire choice. It reveals what Astrud's really all about: a great pop singer.

There's a childlike innocence in her voice. So much conviction-- you believe everything she says. When she's down, you feel it. When she's happy, you're right there smiling alongside her. She has this charming way of drawing you in that leaves you hanging onto her every word. This is one of my favorite Astrud albums. There's hints of her signature Bossa Nova sound, though the Walter Wanderley trio help to brighten things up, helping to give quite a few of the numbers on here a groovy lounge/mod sound.

As a concept artist and musician, a round selection of music is useful for drawing/working. Late night sessions are not so dreary as this wonderful set of songs hits the spot. The more I listen to this nugget of cool martini songs, the happier I am that "Girl From Ipanema" is NOT on the collection as each song has it's own personality and together work well on it's own.

Astrud Gilberto's voice is haunting and personable... Tight craft from the top notch musicians. And recorded mostly live in the studio, it's quite nice to listen with headphones and hear the little accidental noises/breaths of people playing live.
ENJOY!


Thank you Soma FM for [...] for exposing me to this CD.

As a concept artist and musician, a round selection of music is useful for drawing/working. Late night sessions are not so dreary as this wonderful set of songs hits the spot. The more I listen to this nugget of cool martini songs, the happier I am that "Girl From Ipanema" is NOT on the collection as each song has it's own personality and together work well on it's own.

Astrud Gilberto's voice is haunting and personable... Tight craft from the top notch musicians. And recorded mostly live in the studio, it's quite nice to listen with headphones and hear the little accidental noises/breaths of people playing live.
ENJOY!


Thank you Soma FM for ([...]) for exposing me to this CD.