PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK: BOSSA NOVA

Bossa Nova was a short-lived musical movement, but has permanently left its imprint in Brazilian music. We're bringing you a playlist with some of their best tunes

Probably the style of Brazilian music that’s most known abroad, Bossa Nova was actually short-lived in Brazil. Experts say it lasted in its pure form for only a few years, between the end of the 1950s and the mid 1960s, when it made room for a more inclusive genre referred to as MPB (short for Brazilian Popular Music). Despite this, many elements of Bossa Nova have been forever incorporated into the Brazilian music scene.

It originated with two of the best musicians that Brazil has ever produced: Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. During informal meetings that took place in living rooms of Rio de Janeiro’s elite, such as future singer Nara Leão, they created a new way to play samba: less percussive, with  whispery vocals and sophisticated jazz harmonies.

Musically speaking, less was definitely seen as more in Bossa Nova. The lyrics were light and generally positive, almost dreamlike. They sang about birds, girls, love, nature and made hedonistic odes to Rio de Janeiro. It was an optimistic era in Brazilian history; these were the Golden Years, when our country improved its self-esteem after winning football World Cups and inaugurating its new capital, Brasilia, just prior to the military coup in 1964.

Bossa Nova may have not lasted long, but its legacy is enormous. Some of the all-time best Brazilian tunes are from this period. So, fix a drink, sit down with our latest playlist, and start your weekend off right.

Elizeth Cardoso – Chega de Saudade (song by Tom Jobin and Vinicius de Moraes)

João Gilberto – Bim Bom (song by João Gilberto)

João Gilberto – Desafinado (song by Tom Jobin & Newton Mendonça)

Nara Leão – Insensatez (song by Tom Jobin and Vinicius de Moraes)

Baden Powell – Samba em Prelúdio (song by Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes)

Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz – Girl From Ipanema (song by Tom Jobin and Vinicius de Moraes)

Astrud Gilberto – Corcovado (song by Tom Jobim)

Toquinho, Vinicius – Samba de Orly (song by Chico Buarque)

Tom Jobim – Samba de uma nota só (song by Tom Jobin & Newton Mendonça)

Elis e Tom – Águas de Março (song by Tom Jobin)

Tom Jobin – Wave (song by Tom Jobin)

Caetano Veloso – Samba e Amor (song by Chico Buarque)

Roberto Menescal – O Barquinho (song by Roberto Menescal)