Bossa Nova

Question 1

Bossa Nova origins

Answer 1

• born in Rio; specifically in Copacabana
• stripped down style with limited instrumentation and new vocal styles
• influenced by samba-cançao and classical music and cool jazz
• many performers are middle class

Question 2

Key founders of Bossa Nova

Answer 2

• João Gilberto
• Tom Jobim
• Vinicius de Moraes

Question 3

Brazil in the early 1960s

Answer 3

• a time of optimism and democracy
• Brazil elected a forward-looking president (Juscelino Kupitshek)
• the progress and modernization of the country was symboloized by the foundation of the new capital: Brasilia

Question 4

international boom of bossa nova

Answer 4

• a number of US jazz musicians start taking interest in bossa nova
• as a musical idiom, bossa began to take off internationally after a concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962
• Getz/Gilberto (the most famous recording) is released in 1964

Question 5

1964 Coup and Bossa Nova

Answer 5

• a number of musicians and critics accused bossa nova of being too commercial, too apolitical, and too frivolous for the times
• accusations of Americanization of the “whitening” of samba
• Musicians like Carlos Lyra and Nara Leão politicized bossa