HOMMAGE BRÉSILIEN # 1 ~ Astrud Gilberto (1940 - 2023)

Astrud Gilberto, born Astrud Evangelina Weinert on March 29, 1940, in Salvador, Brazil, and died on June 5, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a Brazilian bossa nova singer. Raised in Rio de Janeiro, she discovered American jazz music and its influences at a very young age. She married musician João Gilberto, one of the creators of bossa nova, which quickly brought her into the heart of the Brazilian music scene. In 1963, she participated almost by chance in the recording of "The Girl from Ipanema" with João Gilberto and saxophonist Stan Getz. Her soft, calm, and natural voice immediately captivated international audiences. The song became a huge worldwide hit and introduced bossa nova to the world. During the 1960s and 1970s, Astrud Gilberto recorded several popular albums blending jazz, samba, and bossa nova. She performed songs like "Corcovado," "Agua de Beber," and "Fly Me to the Moon." Her elegant and refined style influenced many jazz and lounge music artists. After slowing down her musical career in the 1980s, she remained a major figure in Brazilian music. Astrud Gilberto died on June 5, 2023, in Philadelphia, USA, at the age of 83. Her voice remains synonymous with the golden age of bossa nova.