Bossa nova (Portuguese for “new wave”) was born in Rio de Janeiro as an intimate, chamber version of samba. Its hallmarks are soft, barely audible “under-the-breath” singing, refined jazz harmony, and the unmistakable syncopated accompaniment of the nylon-string guitar.
The style's creators were the composer Antônio Carlos Jobim (Garota de Ipanema) and the guitarist-singer João Gilberto. World fame came with the album Getz/Gilberto (1964), featuring the saxophonist Stan Getz. Bossa nova became one of the most influential and elegant genres of world popular music. Its poetic lyrics were written by Vinicius de Moraes, and the bossa wave rolled across the US and Europe, entering the repertoire of jazz standards for good.
