Today it’s Astrud Gilberto‘s turn…

Astrud Gilberto: 'I haven't got anything better to do' (CD; Verve/Polygram; 1970)
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This is a very pleasant album, recorded in 1970, by which time I don't think all that many people were really interested in Astrud. All the same, it has some stunning tracks and a very nice production, from Albert Gorgoni. Almost every track has a watery, melancholic feel.
The title track is especially cool - a nice gentle bossa-pop track with great lyrics: "he's got a problem - if he thinks I need him. I couldn't care less... now that we're through. I only sit home and wait for his phonecalls when I haven't got anything better to do..." Other cool tracks are 'wailing of the willow', 'trains and boats and planes'. It's interesting also to hear Astrud taking on 'in the wee small hours in the morning' - her approach to the song is unsuprisingly very different to that of Sinatra or Julie London.

Astrud Gilberto & Walter Wanderley: 'A Certain Smile, a Certain Sadness' (CD; Verve; 1966)
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'a fleeting glance can say so many lovely things; suddenly I know why my heart sings..' - a great, emotional album with a mixture of melancholic and happy songs, all performed with the excellent Walter Wanderley trio. Light as they are, the recordings have an incredibly perfect, classic sound to them; highlights include a vocal version of Walter Wanderley's big hit - Marcos Valle's 'Summer Samba', the exquisite 'Tristeza', and a great version of 'Call me'. The really isn't a poor track though, and as a bonus on this 1998 CD reissue, 2 tracks are added - the beautifully fragile 'the sadness of after' and a great, shortened, extra-bouncy version of 'Who needs forever', the theme from Quincy Jones's soundtrack to 'The Deadly Affair'.

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