The guitar and drums with brushes are reverent, setting a delicate atmosphere. Shakers hiss in and out. Then, a slightly husky but clear voice breaks through the backtrack, singing about joy in Portuguese. A saxophone accompanies her, softly crooning a lullaby. Those are my earliest memories of “Samba Da Bencao,” by Bebel Gilberto.
I was raised on Gilberto’s samba. Songs like “Samba E Amor” put me to sleep, while others like “Aganju” played while I frolicked in the garden when I was younger, and they accompanied me as I grew older. With time, I learned to appreciate both her voice and her subtle instrumentation.
But the Brazilian-American singer’s talent is no accident. She has music in her blood. Her father, João Gilberto, was a pioneer in bossa nova and was featured in “The Girl From Ipanema.” Her mother, Múicha, was also a famous Brazilian singer. Gilberto debuted on her mother’s album at the tender age of seven and performed at Carnegie Hall just two years later.
As she branched off on her own musical journey, Gilberto built upon the legacies of her parents — she mainly sings bossa nova and samba music. After she settled into the genre, she began experimenting with instrumentation in bossa nova. In 2000, she released “Tanto Tiempo,” an electronica bossa nova album, but then evolved an acoustic direction that highlighted her vocals.
Though her voice is very mature, Gilberto’s lyrics can be very playful. In “Samba E Amor,” she laments about how she makes samba and love in the night but struggles to wake up in the morning. Even the soft backtrack makes me want to get back into bed and be lazy.
In “Simplesmente,” she once again conjures up a dreamy atmosphere. Her choice of A flat as the key signature adds a layer of nostalgia, wistfulness and longing for her love. The violin tugs at my heartstrings as her husky voice glides through the backtrack.
Meanwhile, songs like “Bananeira” feature much more lively instrumentation with hints of electronic music. There are trumpets, flutes and faster drums that accompany the nonsensical lyrics about a banana tree. The repetition of “bananeira” is rhythmic and gives the song a groove of its own.
No matter what your music taste is, Gilberto has something for you. Her music ranges from grief stricken to happy and much much more. I have been listening to Gilberto for “Tanto Tiempo,” and I will never be able to stop.
