Wednesday, November 03, 2021

The Girl From Ipanema: Bossa Nova and Brasil

  The Girl from Ipanema is probably the second most recorded pop song of all time, behind The Beatles' Yesterday. It is a type of Jazz called the Bossa nova, and helped make that genre known worldwide in the 1960's. 


Here is Astrud Gilberto singing the song in a live recording:




I love a good story, and I fell into this one a few years ago. As I was looking for more jazz to listen to I came across the story of The Girl from Ipanema. This BBC produced documentary gives us a good look not only into Bossa nova, but into the popular culture of Brazil. I hope you enjoy learning about this amazing musical art form as much as I have.





        
EQ:
  • Why is Bossa nova important to Brazilian popular culture?
Engage:
Explore:
Explain:
  • What is Bossa nova?
  • Why was Astrud Gilberto chosen to sing the song?
  • How important is the Bossa nova to Brazilian popular culture?
Evaluate:
  • Class discussion

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