Getz/Gilberto

Recording and composition[edit]

The recording sessions commenced on March 18, 1963, at A&R Recording Studios^[17] in New York City and were completed on the following day.^[18] Phil Ramone, who owned A&R Recording Studios, was the album's sound engineer.^[15] Produced by Creed Taylor, the album was released by Verve Records.^[19] The rhythm section backing Getz was Jobim on piano, Sebastião Neto (pt) on bass and Milton Banana on drums.^[18] (Neto was not credited after being hired by another record label, Audio Fidelity. As a result, the double bassist credited on Getz/Gilberto is Tommy Williams, Getz's regular bassist. Williams, however, did not perform at the recording sessions.)^[11][8] The rhythm section plays in a binary (²
₄) time signature, which is typical for samba although Getz used quaternary time signature (common time).^[20]


Astrud Gilberto, who had never sung professionally before was featured on two tracks,^[15][21] "The Girl from Ipanema" and "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)". Like João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto has a quiet, almost whispered vocal style which would become an important influence on female vocalists in bossa nova. On João Gilberto's first three albums—Chega de Saudade, O Amor, o Sorriso e a Flor (1960) and João Gilberto (1961)—the vibrato in his voice is not entirely absent like on Getz/Gilberto.^[22]


Stylistic features of bossa nova such as restraint and lyrical objectivity are further developed in Getz/Gilberto building on Gilberto's previous albums.^[23] Jobim's piano performance is minimalist, contributing only what is needed.^[24] Besides playing piano, Jobim was also responsible for some of the arrangements and co-wrote nearly all of the songs except "Doralice" and "Pra Machucar Meu Coração", both old sambas, which are more polished and serious in Gilberto's version.^[25] All the other songs are compositions by Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes ("The Girl from Ipanema", "Só Danço Samba" and "O Grande Amor") and Jobim and Newton Mendonça (in "Desafinado"). "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)" and "Vivo Sonhando" were composed solely by Jobim.


According to Ruy Castro, Gilberto and Getz often disagreed on which was the best take, leaving the choice to producer Creed Taylor.^[21] During one session, Gilberto, who did not speak English, and impatient with Getz's rhythmic style, told Antônio Carlos Jobim: "Tell this gringo he is an idiot". Jobim then translated: "Stan, João is saying that his dream always was to record with you".^[15][21] Getz's harder approach to the music did not please Gilberto who preferred a more delicate style.^[26] Due to these artistic differences, Getz/Gilberto #2 features Getz and his quartet on side A, and Gilberto, by himself, on side B.^[27][28] In spite of the tension in the studio Gilberto would continue to collaborate with Getz. Twelve years after the release of Getz/Gilberto the pair reunited at the Keystone Korner club in San Francisco for a six-day engagement promoting their new album, The Best of Two Worlds.^[c]


Gene Lees wrote the English lyrics for "Corcovado". Norman Gimbel, who wrote the English lyrics for "Garota de Ipanema", felt that the reference to "Ipanema" wouldn't mean anything to Americans^[15] but Jobim insisted on keeping the reference to the beach.^[d] Producer Taylor shelved the project for nearly a year because he was afraid the record might be a commercial failure.^[18] As a consequence, Getz/Gilberto was finally released in March 1964.