1931

An one-of-a-kind character in the history of popular Brazilian Music, João Gilberto single-handedly transformed the way people sang and played guitar in Brazil. Idolized by many, regarded as a genius, despised by a few, labeled as "insane" - it is pretty hard to remain aloof about him. Born in Juazeiro (countryside of Bahia, Northeast Brazil), João was given a guitar at the age of 14, and he never let go of it. In the 40s, he’d listen to music at the record store, his taste ranging from Duke Ellington and Tommy Dorsey to Dorival Caymmi. As he turned 18, he moved to Salvador (state capital) to try his luck on the radio and as a crooner. He soon moved down to Rio de Janeiro, where he sang with Garotos da Lua. The group lasted less than a year, though. Stressed out with Gilberto’s unprofessional manners, the Garotos da Lua fired him. Living the nightlife, he met with other musicians and had his songs recorded by some of them. In 1958, Odeon released two singles that launched his style and triggered the bossa nova movement: "Chega de Saudade"/"Bim Bom" in July, and "Desafinado"/ "Oba-la-lá" in November. Still in 1958, he recorded two tracks with singer Eliseth Cardoso, in her LP "Canção do Amor Demais", also considered a milestone for the history of bossa nova. The trademarks that helped make him a remarkable performer were the way he sang, really softly, radically diverting from the classic tradition of old time radio singers, famous for their huge vocal capacities; and the way he played his guitar, taking on a different beat that relocated samba’s traditional punch. His re-creations of famous songs like "Aos Pés da Cruz" (Zé da Zilda/ Marino Pinto), "Samba de Uma Nota Só" (Tom Jobim/ Newton Mendonça), "O Barquinho" (Menescal/ Bôscoli), "Samba da Minha Terra" and "Saudade da Bahia" (Dorival Caymmi), "Na Baixa do Sapateiro" (Ary Barroso), "Falsa Baiana" (Geraldo Pereira) and "Isaura" (Herivelto Martins/ Roberto Roberti) all but endorse his unique interpretation style. João Gilberto soon became known for his so-called strange, exotic habits. He spent many years in Rio de Janeiro without owning his own place, always crashing at friends’ houses, hardly ever sharing the expenses, sleeping all day and playing guitar all night, even if the house owners needed to get up early for work. And then, when finances were running low, he would refuse to make commercial recordings, like jingles, or to sing in clubs where people talked during the concerts. And he never seemed to have thought of getting a regular job that was not related to music. After becoming famous, Gilberto started to avoid interviews and failed to show up at some of his own gigs. His obsession with technical perfection in recordings and shows is unprecedented and goes back to the "Chega de Saudade" single, which consumed days of studio sessions wasted by his frequent interruptions, as he was always displeased by some noise or mistake that only he could hear. In 1964, he recorded in the United States with saxophonist Stan Getz, Tom Jobim and João’s former wife, Astrud Gilberto. The album sold over a million copies, impelled by the track "Garota de Ipanema", which would turn into one of the most aired, played and re-recorded songs on the planet. He was awarded a number of Grammys, including Album of the Year. João Gilberto lived in the US from 1962 to 1980, having spent two years in Mexico. He became Chico Buarque’s brother-in-law by marriage to Chico’s sister, Miúcha, with whom he made Bebel, their daughter who is also a singer, currently living in New York City. During his American period, he made more than 10 albums, also participating in other musicians’ recording sessions. Back in Brazil, he released a few more albums featuring some new material and re-creations of his and other composers’ songs. João makes sporadic appearances, nonetheless touring Asia and America quite frequently. In 1999, he released the CD "João Voz e Violão", produced by Caetano Veloso, arousing adverse reactions among the critics. In the recipe, 10 tracks and big hits like "Desafinado" (Tom Jobim/ Newton Mendonça), "Eu Vim da Bahia" (Gilberto Gil), "Desde que o Samba É Samba" (Caetano Veloso) and "Chega de Saudade".