Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Bossa Nova U.S.A.

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Released
  
1963

Release date
  
1963

Label
  
Columbia Records

Length
  
40:48

Producer
  
Teo Macero

Genre
  
Cool jazz

Bossa Nova U.S.A. imageseilcomlargeimageDAVEBRUBECKBOSSA2BNO

Recorded
  
January – October, 1962

Bossa Nova U.S.A. (1963)
  
Brubeck in Amsterdam (1963)

Artists
  
Dave Brubeck, The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Similar
  
The Dave Brubeck Quartet albums, Cool jazz albums, Other albums

Bossa Nova U.S.A. is a studio album released by the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1963 by Columbia originally in the United States as LP record CS 8798 (stereo) and CL 1998 (mono) and in England as BPG 62127. It was also released by CBS records in Australia, under catalog SPB 233.038.

Contents

The dave brubeck quartet bossa nova u s a at carnegie hall 1963


Background and recording

Since 1955, Brubeck had composed and performed pieces originating from influences outside of the European musical tradition, in which this album, released during the bossa nova craze in the United States of the late 1950s and early 1960s, can be best categorized. It is intended to be "impressionistic" of "the cool wave from Brazil." Recorded through most of 1962, and released early in 1963, the album was designed to be effective on the pop charts. All tracks were recorded in New York City. Five tracks were recorded on the third of January, 1962 in a session dedicated to bossa nova. Two additional tracks were recorded on Thursday, July 5 that year in another dedicated session, while an additional two were recorded the same day the next week in a session with an additional track that appeared on the 1965 album My Favorite Things. The last track to be recorded was the title track, laid down on October 25, 1962 in a session that also included three songs appearing elsewhere. This album sits in stark contrast to the "time"-themed series of albums, in that each track is typified simply by a samba-based rhythm.

Release

In advance of the album, the title track was released as a single (Columbia 42651) the last week of 1962, with This Can't Be Love as the B-side. This met with moderate success, peaking at #69 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album followed soon in early 1963.

Reception

On release, Billboard called the album "first-class Brubeck." While noting the number of bossa tracks, it particularly singled out a re-working of The Trolley Song as a standout track. The Age expected the record to be popular with the general public, but noted "purists will wince." The album found more success with the public than the single, appearing for fifteen weeks on Billboard's album charts, achieving position #14.

Personnel

  • Dave Brubeck – piano
  • Paul Desmond – saxophone
  • Joe Morello – drums
  • Eugene Wright – double bass
  • Songs

    1Bossa Nova USA2:28
    2Vento Fresco (Cool Wind)3:34
    3The Trolley Song3:05

    References

    Bossa Nova U.S.A. Wikipedia