Chega de Saudade

Description

The meaning of bossa nova is still controversial. It is most often translated as "new wave," in contrast to the radical "new thing" that was beginning to galvanize jazz in North America. But the word bossa also has the connotation of "something well done and stylish." The lyricist Ronaldo Bôscoli best expressed it by saying that bossa nova was a state of mind, a relaxed approach to the rhythm of samba that reflected a reaction to the conflicting politics of the time and an alternative lifestyle of beach parties with plenty of rum and pretty girls, without the ticking of the factory clock. In music, it is rare to determine the record that established a style. What was the first bop record? Or rock 'n' roll? Even if it may be the soundtrack of the film Black Orpheus that introduced this style to the world, Chega de Saudade by João Gilberto was the first recording to illustrate the new music, with its accents on the weak beats and its laid-back, almost woozy singing style. The title means something like "enough longing," although no one really knows what saudade means, and that is the joy of this music.