João Gilberto: Brazilian 'father of bossa nova' dies aged 88

BBC News ^ | 7-7-2019 | n/a

[Gay State Conservative]

Girl From Ipanema

[Steely Tom]

Thank you for posting that Eastern commercial, what memories it brings back of being young and anxious to travel. Those were the days when flying seemed glamorous, and that commercial was a big reason why.

Agreed, and it had a similar effect on me.

I remember as a young teenager that I would perk up and listen carefully any time an Eastern commercial came on because of those beautiful and mysterious notes. I would think "who is that singer, she should be famous." I didn't make the connection between the Eastern ad and Girl From Ipanema, which I knew well and loved when it came on my transistor radio. Also I would have found it hard to believe that Eastern Airlines would hire one of the most famous singers in the world to sing a nine-note phrase in their commercials.

[SunkenCiv]

a favorite song from that genre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1uEy-n4IsU

[Peter W. Kessler]

Thanks for the link!

Brought me back to 1963. I was 10, and had gotten my first transistor radio (8 transistors!!!) for Christmas, 1962. Edie Gorme was in the Top 5 (https://www.musicradio77.com/Surveys/1963/surveymar563.html)

Months earlier, husband Steve Lawrence had a hit with “Go Away Little Girl.”

Great memories.

Thanks again!

[over3Owithabrain]

Autopsy blamed it on the Bossa Nova..

/jk
RIP to a musical legend

[EnquiringMind]

I've never met one person who doesn't say "I love that song" whenever Girl from Ipanema is played. What a beautiful melody. I also never realized Astrud was the voice in the commercial, but it was a beautifully familiar voice, and those notes have remained in my mind 50+ years.

[jtal]

Amazing performer. RIP.

[fieldmarshaldj]

What came out of Astrud’s throat was great, but her “acting” in the scene was awful and terribly distracting as a result. No emotion, robotic, utterly deadpan and stone-faced (possibly stage fright ?). Only when it concludes does she show any emotion. It’s amazing the director let her get away with it. I would’ve done take after take until getting a performance out of her.

Textbook example of what NOT to do while singing a song. You gotta sell it !

[LS]

The first album I ever had was Dave Brubeck Quartet’s “Bossa Nova USA”. Still one of my favorite albums.

[SunkenCiv]

:^) But other than that... Imho, it's a quintessential performance of a quintessential song -- and like "Baby, It's Cold Outside", a song that will be targeted for ban in years to come.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Thought I was too rough on Astrud ?

[Clemenza]

Saw Astrud at SOBs in New York in 1994. Walked off the stage after four songs because she didn’t like the monitors.

[nutmeg]

“The Girl from Ipanema” Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto and Stan Getz

I believe Astrud was João Gilberto's wife.

RIP, Mr. Gilberto.

[nutmeg]

For those of you who grew up in the '60s, you may remember the haunting notes at the end of commercials for Eastern Airline. In them, the line "Fly Eastern, Number One To The Sun" was sung by a beautiful female vocalist, who hit every one of the cleverly arranged notes perfectly, seemingly without effort.

That singer was Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto's wife.

Oh my goodness... that ad bring back memories. Thank you so much for that link!