Beach Samba [Original recording remastered] [Import]

1. Stay

2. Misty Roses

3. Face I Love

4. Parade

5. Oba Oba

6. Canoeiro

7. I Had The Craziest Dream

8. Beach Samba

9. My Foolish Heart

10. Dia Das Rosas

11. You Didn't Have To Be So Nice

12. Nao Bate O Coracao

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
24 bit digitally remastered Japanese version.

Tracks:

Stay
Misty Roses
The Face I Love
A Banda (Parade)
Oba, Oba
Canoeiro
I Had The Craziest Dream
Bossa Na Praia (Beach Samba)
My Foolish Heart
Dia Das Roses (I Think Of You)
You Didn't Have To Be So Nice
Nao Bate O Corocao
Goodbye Sadness
Call Me
Here's That Rainy Day
Tu Meu Delirio
It's A Lovely Day Today

Customer Reviews:

Pop bliss.......2007-02-28

I haven't been so entranced by this many songs in a row, in a long while; Astrud Gilberto has the winning formula: tone down the bossa nova roots from 'Look To The Rainbow' (1965) for just a moment, and wash away our worries with a dozen tracks of pure pop-inspired wonder. If you want lush, soothing, romantic summer fun from the late '60s, this record is for you. Play it at a party, play it for yourself. It doesn't matter. There's a reason this is one of her most popular albums, as it marked, in my opinion, the beginning of her ascent into iconic status as a recording artist and performer. Buy the Samba now. You won't be sorry!

The second peak.......2007-02-26

Astrud Gilberto's first wave of success obviously came with her sensational involvement in the bossa nova standard 'Girl From Ipanema' from 1963. As her solo recording career was on the rise, it seems that 'Beach Samba' represented what I feel is the beginning of her next peak in quality, one that would continue with 'A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness' (1967), dip a bit with 'Windy' (1968), and then come to a glorious halt with 'September 17, 1969' (1969). 'Beach Samba' is one of the most feel-good records I've ever heard. Many people criticize it's 'pop' feel, with less bossa nova sensibility. It is indeed noticeable, but doesn't detract from the LP at all, at least not for me. Even the corny duet with son Marcelo, 'You Didn't Have To Be So Nice,' is fun in a 'bonus track' sort of way. It's not meant for serious analysis; just enjoy it (and the rest of this lush pop standard) for what it is: a great album by a great singer.

"My Foolish Heart".......2005-11-29

"I still believe that the simplest thing to do is what pleases you. I sing what I like, whether the song is American, French or something else. I feel a song should give you pleasure, whether or not you're dancing and even if you've heard it many times before." ~ Astrud Gilberto ~

Put some brilliant arrangers, talented instrumentalists, an unbelievably musically sensitive songbird with a unique vocal style together, add seventeen lovely standard pop songs in a recording session and the end result would be an outstanding and remarkable compilation CD such as this. You can't go wrong with this one, very highly recommended.

The brilliant arrangers are Don Sebesky and Eumir Deodato. The talented instrumentalists are Toots Thielemans (harmonica), Ron Carter (bass), Hubert Laws (flute), Bobby Rosengarten and Grady Tate (drums), Ernie Royal (trumpet) and Walter Wanderley (organ), among many others. And of course the songbird with a unique voice is Astrud Gilberto.

The first 12 tracks are from the original recording of "Beach Samba" and tracks 13 thru 17 are bonus tracks and were originally issued on the album "A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness."

Listen to her interpretation of Harry Warren and Mack Gordon's dreamiest song "I Had The Craziest Dream," which was introduced in a 1942 movie "Springtime In The Rockies," and you'll totally agree with me that it's the best version of this classic gem. Don Sebesky did an excellent job on the bossa nova arrangement. One of my all-time favorites is Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's rainy-day mood song, "Here's That Rainy Day," and hers is my top favorite for female vocals and for male vocals, it's Kenny Rankin from "The Kenny Rankin Album." Another rainy-day mood music is a poignantly beautiful song by Tim Hardin "Misty Roses."

One of the highlights is the wonderful duet arranged by Don Sebesky "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" (a very popular song by the Lovin' Spoonful in the sixties), her son, Marcello, steals the limelight from Ms. Gilberto and features the hauntingly beautiful harmonica playing of Toots Thielemans on the background.

The rest of the spotlights are Tony Hatch's "Call Me," Irving Berlin's evergreen "It's A Lovely Day Today" and last but not least my very favorite from the musical treasure chest of Victor Young and Ned Washington, a gem of gems "My Foolish Heart," another Don Sebesky's awesome arrangement using cellos, French horns and woodwinds making it the most beautiful and to-die-for version I've ever heard!

"The night is like a lovely tune
Beware my foolish heart
How white the ever constant moon
Take care, my foolish heart."

Sweet.......2005-09-14

This is a rather collection of jazz standards and some Brazilian flavored tunes (including a couple Luiz Bonfa tunes- for great 60s Brazilian acoustic music, check his Verve reissues) and Astrud's sweet, gentle voice. There are maybe more instances on this record that sound a bit off as far as her performance, and I can see where the big band jazz setting seems a bit overwhelming for her voice when compared to her usually soft instrument surroundings, but it's still a worthwhile collection of good tunes. Many tunes still have a samba/bossa nova feel to them even if they are not traditional Brazilian material. Like another reviewer mentioned, A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness is still my favorite of Astrud's albums- better tunes in my opinion. The last 5 tracks here from that album offer a taste of it, even if they don't include my favorites.

Cool Voice, Little Voice, the Charming Lady of Bossa.......2004-11-19

She's Brazilian, no doubt.
However she's never recorded even a note in Brazil.
Legend says she started by being asked to test a voice track in the famous Joao Gilberto recording with Stan Getz. The rest is history: her "The Girl from Ipanema" rendition has grown to be a master of cool Bossa Nova.

What is remarkable about this eternally fresh voice is that her recordings from the 60s have been issued until today what means you can buy nearly all her output ever since. Here @Amazon you'll find them all! Would you say it's true for most the singers around? Probably not.

There you can find the mind and finger of Creed Taylor, one the major Jazz producers in the area in his impressive collaboration with Verve Records. The ingredients were as usual carefully cooked by the Master: great Bossa Nova and non-Bossa Nova songs, great arrangements by the best arrangers in the place. Ok, this is the magical formula.

This CD 'Beach Samba' contains material from the great original album plus a bonus of 5 tracks from her album 'A Certain Smile'.

The mix for 'Beach Samba' consists of some pop hits - the beautiful Tim Hardin's 'Misty Roses' and 'You Didn't Have to Be So Nice' which she sings gracefully with her young son. Don Sebesky is extraordinarily brilliant in his arragement for 'Misty Roses'.

The Bossa Nova/Brazilian Music quota in the program includes Deodato's arrangements for his compositions 'Canoeiro' and 'Nao Bate o Coracao', also for Luis Bonfa's 'Dia das Rosas' and 'Oba Oba', and for 'The Face I Love' - the Bossa Nova standard in Brazil aka 'Seu Encanto', its original title in Portuguese.

Two standards from GAS - the Great American Songbook - were beautifully arranged by Don Sebesky - 'My Foolish Heart' in slow Bossa and the splendid cha-cha arrangement for Harry Warren's 'I Had The Craziest Dream'.

The final 5 tracks come from Ms. Gilberto's album 'A Certain Smile' with Brazilian master of the organ, Mr. Walter Wanderley, and his combo. These tracks include 'Tristeza' - a samba standard in Brazil which is credited erroneously as being a composition by Edu Lobo although the real one was Haroldo Lobo.

Ms. Gilberto sings another beautiful cool Bossa Nova rendition of 'Tu Mi Delirio' a wonderful bolero by the great Cuban writer, Mr. Cesar Portillo de La Luz.

Refer to all Verve Records material by Astrud Gilberto. All with great arrangements on great songs.