“Águas de Março” (1973) – João Gilberto * Written by Antonio Carlos Jobin * LP: João Gilberto * Label: Polydor
João Gilberto’s calm, singing-to-himself vocal delivery helped create a popular perception of Brazilian bossa nova as much as the compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobim did. Both men appeared on the 1964 hit album Getz/Gilberto, which also showcased American saxophonist Stan Getz and Gilberto’s then-wife Astrud. Throughout his career, Gilberto would pursue the ideal rendering of his “sound” while developing a difficult-artist reputation along the way. His manifesto of said sound may well be his 1973 self-titled album, which includes only voice, guitar, and spare percussion. The first song, a version of Jobim’s “Aguas de Marco” (the waters of March), turns like a pinwheel in a light afternoon breeze. The studio mic captures every micro-geometrical curve in Gilberto’s oral cavity, though, which is another way of saying that a little of this, for some listeners, may go a long way.