Softly, softly Astrud Gilberto’s voice captured the hearts of the American people. Before this, a handful of musicians had infected the cool jazz of the Sixties with the bossa nova virus from Brazil and set a wave of enthusiasm in motion. Together with Stan Getz, Astrud scored a super hit. And ever since then, the 'Girl from Ipanema' had a name. Astrud’s singing is neither full of vocal acrobatics nor can it be described in superlatives. Her natural voice creates a quiet, glowing atmosphere and enchants us with its simple elegance and power of expression.

Astrud Gilberto’s third album on the Verve label, "Look to the Rainbow", is considered to be her most important disc - one reason being perhaps the successful mixture of songs from both South and North America. Whatever the reason, star arranger Gil Evans’s sensitive background music reveals his great talent for pinpointing and underlining a totally unique voice. The result? Every single number on this recording is a soft, miniature work of art.

 

This was a beautiful bossa nova record of Astrud Gilberto's vocal stylings...All the material (32:13) here, with the exception of "Learn to Live Alone" and "Pretty Place," which were arranged by Al Cohn, were arranged by Gil Evans. With the exception of a Johnny Coles trumpet solo, the personnel was uncredited on this 1966 recording. Discographies have credited Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone), Kenny Burrell (guitar), and Grady Tate (drums), but except for a few bars of sax, there was no solo indivdualism in this large Creed Taylor-produced orchestra.