Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba 1962

"One of the very best Bossa Nova Jazz albums, Jazz Samba marked the beginning of the Bossa Nova wave in the United States and, more generally, in the West. This wave reached its peak in the mid-1960s. Presented as a collaboration between guitarist Charlie Byrd and saxophonist Stan Getz, it was heavily inspired, conceived, and produced by Charlie Byrd alone. Legend has it that Stan Getz and his ego stole the show by following up with the album Getz Gilberto, released in 1963. The great strength of Jazz Samba is its homogeneity, although, in my opinion, it is dominated by the superb version of Antônio Carlos Jobim's "Desafinado." There is only one composition by Charlie Byrd on Jazz Samba: "Samba Dees Days." The other tracks are Samba or Bossa Nova standards such as "Samba Triste" by Baden Powell and Billy Blanco or "Samba de Uma Nota So" by Antônio Carlos Jobim. Jazz Samba is a lovely album that succeeds in creating a rather relaxed atmosphere. It bridges the gap between pure Brazilian Bossa Nova and mainstream American Jazz. Unfortunately for him and for us, Charlie Byrd would never again produce an album of such quality." D.D. AMG

listen here