Bossa Nova

Bossa nova (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈbɔsɐ ˈnɔvɐ] (_ listen); literally "New Trend") is a style ofBrazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students.[2] Since its birth, the bossa nova movement contributed with its style and a number of songs to the standard jazz repertoire.
Contents
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1 Origin of the term"bossa nova"
2 Origins and history of "bossa nova" musical style
3 Instruments
4 Structure
5 Modern developments
6 Notable bossa nova artists
7 Bossa nova in pop music outside of Brazil
8 References
9 Further reading
10 External links
11 See also

[edit]Origin of the term "bossa nova"
In Brazil, to do something with "bossa" is to do it with particular charm and natural flair, as in aninnate ability. In 1932, Noel Rosa used the word in a samba, which went "O samba, a prontidão e outras bossas / São nossas coisas, são coisas nossas" ("The samba, the readiness and otherbossas / Are our things, are things from us"). As yet, the exact origin of the term "bossa nova" remains uncertain. What is certain is that the term "bossa" was used to refer to any new "trend" or "fashionablewave" within the artistic beach-culture of late 1950s Rio de Janeiro. The term finally became known and widely used to refer to a new music style, a fusion of samba and jazz, when the now famous creators of "bossa nova" referred to their new style of work as "a bossa nova," as in "the new thing." [3]
Brazilian author Ruy Castro, in his book Bossa Nova, claimed that "bossa" was already in use in the1950s by musicians, as a word to characterize someone's knack for playing or singing idiosyncratically. He cites a claim that the term "bossa nova" might have first been used in publicity for a concert given in 1958 by the Grupo Universitário Hebraico do Brasil (University Hebrew Group of Brazil), consisting of Sylvinha Telles, Carlinhos Lyra, Nara Leão, Luizinho Eça, Roberto Menescal, etal.[4] They were likely using the term "bossa nova" then as a generic reference to what they were doing in music at the time, which had no particular name yet. However, the term took hold as the definition of their own specific artistic creation, which became known as "bossa nova," and is often simply known as "bossa" today.
[edit]Origins and history of "bossa nova" musical style
The musical style evolvedfrom samba but is more complex harmonically and less percussive. Bossa nova emerged primarily from the upscale beachside neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro as opposed to Samba's origins in the favelas of Rio. Certain similar elements were already evident, even influencing Western classical music like Gershwin's Cuban Overture which has the characteristic 'Latin' clave rhythm. The influence on bossanova of jazz styles such as cool jazz is often debated by historians and fans, but a similar "cool sensibility" is apparent.
Bossa nova was developed in Brazil in the mid 1950s, with its creation being credited to artists including Johnny Alf, Antonio Carlos Jobim andJoão Gilberto. One of the first songs was "Bim-Bom"(Gilberto). Bossa nova was made popular by Dorival Caymmi's "Saudade da Bahia"andElizete Cardoso's recording of Chega de Saudade on the Canção do Amor Demais LP, composed by Vinícius de Moraes (lyrics) and Antonio Carlos Jobim (music). The song was soon after released by Gilberto.
The initial releases by Gilberto and the internationally popular 1959 film Orfeu Negro ("Black Orpheus")(film score by Luiz Bonfa) brought significant popularity of this musical stylein Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America, which spread to North America via visiting American jazz musicians. The resulting recordings by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz cemented its popularity and led to a worldwide boom with 1963'sGetz/Gilberto, numerous recordings by famous jazz performers such as Ella Fitzgerald (Ella Abraça Jobim) and Frank Sinatra (Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim). Since...