Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour

by Astrud Gilberto

Overview

Like Nico, Astrud Gilberto's everywoman voiced has always had a polarizing effect on critics and fans alike. While her take on bossa nova is less than reverent and decidedly lightweight, the warmth and approachability she brings to each performance is stunning. Verve's lovingly compiled -- and blissfully affordable -- Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour is as solid a collection of her heady mixture of samba, jazz and pop as you're likely to find. Twenty songs, including the classic "Girl From Ipanema," wash in like waves from the warmest of oceans, carrying with them the soft, reverb-drenched soundtrack to summer. If the tropical heat of "Berimbau," the lazy and lonely pulse of Burt Bacharach's "Trains and Boats and Planes" and the upbeat swing of "Wish Me a Rainbow" don't instantly take the drudgery of your day away, then consider yourself hopelessly bitter. Highly recommended. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	05/15/2001
Label:	Verve
UPC:	0731452079022
Rank:	21123

Tracks

1. Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)
2. The Girl From Ipanema
3. Meditation
4. The Face I Love
5. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
6. So Nice (Samba de Verano)
7. A Felicidade
8. Photograph
9. It Might as Well Be Spring
10. Wish Me a Rainbow
11. Fly Me to the Moon
12. Crickets Sing for Anamaria
13. Who Needs Forever?
14. Insensatez
15. Berimbau
16. Come Softly to Me/Hushabye
17. Trains and Boats and Planes
18. Canto de Ossanha (Let Go)
19. I'm Nothing Without You
20. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Astrud Gilberto   Primary Artist,Vocals
James Lest Orchestra   Primary Artist
Astrud Gilberto Group   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Walter Wanderley Trio   Primary Artist
Joao Gilberto   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Quincy Jones   Primary Artist,Conductor
Quincy Jones & His Orchestra   Primary Artist
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar
Stan Getz   Primary Artist
Eumir Deodato   Primary Artist,Conductor
Walter Wanderley   Primary Artist,Organ,Piano
Frank Owens   Keyboards
Phil Bodner   Woodwind
Marty Paich & His Orchestra   Orchestra
Jose Marino   Bass
Ray Alonge   French Horn
Jack Jennings   Percussion
Milt Bernhart   Trombone
James Last   Conductor
Seldon Powell   Woodwind,Saxophone
Stan Webb   Woodwind
Bob Brookmeyer   Trombone,Trombone (Valve)
Don Sebesky   Conductor
Grady Tate   Drums
Ernie Royal   Trumpet
Marvin Stamm   Trumpet
Marty Paich   Conductor
Tony Miranda   French Horn
Earl Chapin   French Horn
Kenny Burrell   Guitar
Stan Free   Keyboards
Burt Collins   Flugelhorn
Tony Studd   Trombone
Joao Donato   Piano
Claus Ogerman   Conductor
James Gavin   Sequencing
Ron Carter   Bass
Urbie Green   Trombone
Brooks Arthur   Vocals,Strings
Marcos Valle   Guitar
Ben Aronov   Piano,Keyboards
James Buffington   French Horn
Toots Thielemans   Guitar
Dom Um Romao   Berimbau,Percussion
Johnny Coles   Trumpet
Joe Mondragon   Bass
Deodato   Strings,Conductor
Joe Shepley   Flugelhorn
Warren Bernhardt   Piano
Hubert Laws   Woodwind
Jimmy Nottingham   Trumpet
Warren Covington   Trombone
Wayne Andre   Trombone
Ron Dante   Vocals
Milton Banana   Drums
Gil Evans   Piano,Conductor
Airto Moreira   Percussion
Bud Shank   Flute
Maretha Stewart   Vocals
David Omar White   Vocals
Mickey Gravine   Trombone
Leon S. Cohen   Saxophone
Claudio Slon   Drums
Bill Hammond   Woodwind
Robert Gregg   Percussion
Al Rogers   Drums
John Barber   Tuba
Bill Lavorgna   Drums
Norman Bergen   Conductor
Joseph Macho   Bass
James Last & His Orchestra   Orchestra
Julio Ruggiero   Bass
Albert Gorgoni Orchestra   Conductor
Tommy Williams Jr.   Bass
George Devens   Vibraphone
Linda November   Vocals
Gene Cherico   Bass
Helcio Milito   Drums
Bobby Rosengarden   Drums,Piano,Percussion
Gary Burton   Vibraphone
Bernie Glow   Trumpet
Paul Griffin   Keyboards
Barry Galbraith   Guitar
Sal DiTroia   Guitar

Technical Credits

Walter Wanderley   Guest Artist
Stan Getz   Guest Artist
Grady Tate   Guest Artist
Toots Thielemans   Guest Artist
Ron Carter   Guest Artist
Joao Gilberto   Guest Artist
Antonio Carlos Jobim   Guest Artist,Composer,Featured Artist
Gil Evans   Guest Artist,Arranger
Bryan Koniarz   Compilation Producer,Production Supervisor
Pete Spargo   Producer
Ray Gilbert   Composer,Translation
Quincy Jones   Arranger,Composer
Ray Evans   Composer
James Last   Arranger
David Mann   Composer
Paulo Sergio Valle   Composer
Gene Lees   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer
Jay Livingston   Composer
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Howard Greenfield   Composer
Jerry Livingston   Composer
Marty Paich   Arranger
Astrud Gilberto   Arranger,Composer,Musician,Featured Artist
Bob Hilliard   Composer
Creed Taylor   Producer
Elliot   Composer
James Gavin   Selection,Liner Notes
Brooks Arthur   Arranger,Producer,Vocal Arrangement
Marcos Valle   Composer
Bart Howard   Composer
James   Composer
Norman Gimbel   Composer,Translation
Peter Keepnews   Editing
Barbara Ellis   Composer
Gary Troxel   Composer
Gretchen Christopher   Composer
Doc Pomus   Composer
Carlos Kase   Research,Restoration
Deodato   Arranger
Vinicius de Moraes   Composer
Niltinho   Composer
Norman Gimble   Composer
Carlos Albert Pingarillo   Composer
Haroldo Lobo   Composer
Mort Shuman   Composer
Chuck Stewart   Cover Photo,Photography
Dawn Agard   Design,Package Design
Joe Alper   Photography,Photo Courtesy
David A. Mann   Composer
Hollis King   Art Direction
Norman Bergen   Arranger
Newton Mendonca   Composer
Cynthia Sesso   Photography,Photo Research
Albert Gorgoni Orchestra   Arranger
Sherniece Smith   Art Producer
Carlos Pingarilho   Composer
Burt Bacharach   Composer
Andre Salvet   Composer
Ken Druker   Executive Producer
Baden Powell   Composer
Hal David   Composer
Ben Young   Research
Edu Lobo   Composer
Don Sebesky   Arranger