by Glenn Astarita
Guitarist/vocalist Joao Gilberto is credited with being the originator of the bossa nova, due to his 1950s affiliation with songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim. Hence, the rest is history. While this recording captures his genius via a solo perfomance at Italy's &Umbria Jazz& festival in 1996. His easily identifiable sound is intact here, as Gilberto delves into fourteen pieces, composed by Jobim and others. The artist's wistful, hush-toned vocals and rhythmically charged acoustic guitar work just reaffirms his significance in modern music. He typifies the coolness of Brazil amid his relatively toe-tapping pulses and contrasting melodic interludes. Part of the beauty, resides within his often-lilting harmonic structures, deterministic sense of purpose and understated themes. Gilberto's sensual demeanor and calming celebration of life hits the mark in a huge way, largely due to his effortless mode of execution and inspiring musical persona.