Astrud Gilberto Astrud Gilberto Album

Release date 10-01-2011(Originally released in 1965)

2011 EU reissue on standard vinyl LP =Astrud followed her meteoric Girl from Ipanema rise with this 1965 solo debut. It's one of the classics of the bossa-nova age, with Jobim and arranger Marty Paich contributing as she sings Dindi; How Insensitive; And Roses and Roses , and more!

Tracks:
A1 Once I Loved
A2 Agua De Beber=Vocals,Guitar – Antonio Carlos Jobim
A3 Meditation
A4 And Roses And Roses
A5 O Morro (Nao Tem Vez)
A6 How Insensitive

B1 Dindi
B2 Photograph
B3 Dreamer
B4 So Finha De Ser Com Voce
B5 All That's Left Is To Say Goodbye

Allmusic:

Astrud Gilberto became an accidental success when her fragile command of English made her the de facto choice to sing "The Girl from Ipanema" at a session led by Stan Getz and her husband, João Gilberto. Of course, despite its overwhelming success, it wasn't clear that she could sustain a career when she recorded her first solo LP, The Astrud Gilberto Album. She had sounded more like an amateurish novelty act than a recording professional, her voice was sweet but fragile, and the Getz/Gilberto album had featured two strong voices, with Gilberto herself an afterthought (albeit a commercially effective afterthought).

But The Astrud Gilberto Album was at least as good as Getz/Gilberto (despite what jazz fans say), for several reasons. The Brazilian repertoire plays particularly well to traditionally weak vocalists, her voice was yet more sweet than had been heard previously, and as before, the record featured two strong leaders -- arranger Marty Paich and the incomparable Antonio Carlos Jobim. Paich's strings positively coated the album with radiance, and his choices for lead instrumental voices -- Bud Shank's flute, João Donato's piano, Jobim's guitar -- complemented her vocals perfectly. Gilberto sounded beautiful on a range of material, from the sentimental "Dindi" to the playful "Agua de Beber," and as long as intelligent musicians were playing to her strengths (as they do here), the results were splendid.