Bossa Nova Pack

GUITAR PACKS; INDIVIDUAL LESSON CONTENTS Bossa Nova Guitar Pack; 4, 8 or 12 Lessons Lesson nº 1 to nº 4

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Classic Bossa Nova theme (ex: Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Chega De Saudade”, “Wave”, “Desafinado”, “Insensatez”, “Garota de Ipanema”, “Aguas de Março”, “Dindi”, “Corcovado”, “Meditação” and “Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar”, Vinicius de Moraes’ “Amei Tanto” and “Samba Do Avião”, João Gilberto’s “A primeira Vez” and Rosa “Morena”, Luiz Bonfá’s “Samba de Orfeu” and “Manhã De Carnaval”, etc.

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Listen to various songs and take a quick look at the history of each artist and tune.

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Go through the basic structure (chord form) of the chosen tune.

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Play melody (on instrument or “hum” )

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Analyse harmony for proper use of scales and chord voicings.

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Transcribe guitar solo to instrument.

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Play tune from beginning to end.

Lesson nº5 to nº 8 -

Taking a closer look at the history of “Bossa Nova”

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Origins; The musical style evolved from samba but is more complex harmonically and is less percussive. Certain similar elements were already evident, even influencing Western classical music like Gershwin's Cuban Overture which has the characteristic 'Latin' clave rhythm. The influence of bossa nova on jazz styles such as cool jazz is often debated by historians and fans, but a similar "cool sensibility" is apparent. Bossa nova was developed in Brazil in 1958 by João Gilberto, with Elizete Cardoso's recording of Chega de Saudade on the Canção do Amor Demais LP, composed by Vinícius de Moraes (lyrics) and Antonio Carlos Jobim (music). The song was soon after released by Gilberto himself. The initial releases by Gilberto and the 1959 film Black Orpheus brought huge popularity in Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America, which spread to North America by way of visiting American jazz musicians. The resulting recordings by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz cemented its popularity and led to a worldwide boom with 1963's Getz/Gilberto, numerous recordings by famous jazz performers such as Ella Fitzgerald (Ella Abraça Jobim) and Frank Sinatra (Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim), and the entrenchment of the bossa nova

style as a lasting influence in world music for several decades and even up to the present. The first bossa nova single was perhaps the most successful of all time: The Getz/Gilberto recording "The Girl From Ipanema" edited to include only the singing of Astrud Gilberto (Gilberto's then wife). The resulting fad was not unlike the disco craze of the 1970s. The genre would withstand substantial "watering down" by popular artists throughout the next four decades. An early influence on bossa nova was the song "Dans mon île" by French singer Henri Salvador, featured in a 1957 Italian movie in Brazil (Europa di notte by Alessandro Blasetti) and covered later by Brazilian artists Eumir Deodato (Los Danseros en Bolero - 1964) and Caetano Veloso (Outras Palavras - 1981). In 2005, Henri Salvador was awarded the Brazilian Order of Cultural Merit, which he received from singer and Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, in the presence of President Lula for his influence on Brazilian culture.

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Instruments; Bossa nova is most commonly performed on the nylonstring classical guitar, played with the fingers rather than with a pick. Its purest form could be considered unaccompanied guitar with vocals, as exemplified by João Gilberto. Even in larger jazz-like arrangements for groups, there is almost always a guitar that plays the underlying rhythm. Gilberto basically took one of the several rhythmic layers from a samba ensemble (specifically, the tamborim) and applied it to the picking hand. Though not as prominent as the guitar, the piano is another important instrument of bossa nova; Jobim wrote for the piano and performed on it for most of his own recordings. The piano has also served as a stylistic bridge between bossa nova and jazz, enabling a great deal of cross-pollination between the two. Drums and other percussion are generally not considered essential bossa nova instruments. Nonetheless, there is a distinctive bossa nova drumming style like that of Helcio Milito and Milton Banana, characterized by continuous eighths on the high-hat (mimicking the samba Pandeiro) and tapping of the rim or "rim clicks" in a clave pattern. The bass drum usually mimics the string bass by playing on "1-&3-&1" as the string bass usually does. Lush orchestral accompaniment is often associated with bossa nova's North American image as "elevator" or "lounge" music. It is present in many of Jobim's own recordings, and in those of Astrud Gilberto. Dusty Springfield would both feature and epitomize this element on her Philips recording of "The Look of Love" (a song written by Bacharach and David, and one of the most respected American pop interpretations of the bossa nova). (This version is not the Phil Ramone version Springfield first

recorded.) The unique aural texture of bossa strings, when used, is an important secondary characteristic of the genre. Bossa nova is at heart a folk genre, and not all bossa nova records have strings, but the authentic ones that do have them feature them in a most distinctive manner.

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Common harmonic progressions used in Bossa Nova, mainly for nylon string guitar

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Pick new tune to work on.

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Go through the basic structure (chord form) of the chosen tune.

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Play melody (on instrument or “hum” )

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Analyse harmony for proper use of scales and chord voicings.

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Transcribe guitar solo to instrument.

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Play tune from beginning to end.

Lesson nº 9 to nº 12 -

Taking a closer look at scales, patterns and typical rhythmical patterns for Bossa Nova.

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Typical chord voicings and bass patterns used in Bossa Nova

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Rhythm guitar and right-hand technique (thumb, fingers and pick)

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Equipment; guitars, amps, effects, strings, picks etc.

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Perform one tune with band live on stage.