Astrud Gilberto
Gilberto performing in 1966
Gilberto performing in 1966
Background information
Birth nameAstrud Evangelina Weinert
Born(1940-03-29)March 29, 1940
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
DiedJune 5, 2023(2023-06-05) (aged 83)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • artist
Years active1963–2002
Labels
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1959⁠–⁠1964)​
Partner(s)Nicholas LaSorsa (1960s–1980s)
Websiteastrudgilberto.com

Astrud Gilberto (Portuguese: [asˈtɾud ʒiwˈbɛʁtu]; born Astrud Evangelina Weinert; March 29, 1940 – June 5, 2023) was a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer and songwriter. She gained international attention in the mid-1960s following her recording of the song "The Girl from Ipanema".

Biography

Astrud Gilberto was born Astrud Evangelina Weinert, the daughter of a Brazilian mother and a German father, in Salvador in the Brazilian state of Bahia, on March 29, 1940. She was raised in Rio de Janeiro. Her father was a language professor, and she became fluent in several languages.[1]

She married João Gilberto in 1959. His affair with Miúcha, a Brazilian singer, caused the couple's separation.[2][3][4][5] According to the Associated Press, their marriage ended in divorce in 1964;[6] but a 2019 Facebook post by their son, João Marcelo Gilberto, said they had "merely separated" and never divorced.[7][8]

Astrud Gilberto had another son, Gregory LaSorsa, with a second partner; Gregory performed music with his mother.[9][10][lower-alpha 1]

Gilberto later reportedly had an affair with her husband's musical collaborator, Stan Getz, a saxophonist, during a tour in 1964, which was reported on extensively by the Brazilian press. She later regretted her decision to tour with Getz, who mistreated her, and stated that she had done so because of dire financial need in the wake of her divorce. She described the experience as "tortuous".[12]

She immigrated to the United States in 1963 and settled there permanently.[13][14]

Astrud sang two songs on the 1963 album Getz/Gilberto, featuring João, Getz, and Antônio Carlos Jobim.[15] While it was her first professional recording, Astrud Gilberto was not entirely a novice. She grew up immersed in music; her mother played multiple instruments. Gilberto sang often with João in Brazil, including a concert performance at the Faculdade de Arquitetura, part of one of the leading universities in Rio de Janeiro.[12] Her whispery voice and steadfast approach to singing played a significant role in popularizing "The Girl from Ipanema", earning a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and a nomination for Best Vocal Performance by a Female.[12][4]

The 1964 edited single of "The Girl from Ipanema" omitted the Portuguese lyrics sung by João Gilberto, and established Astrud Gilberto as a bossa nova singer. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[16] For the recording, Astrud Gilberto only received the standard session fee, US$120.[12][17] According to writer Gene Lees in Singers and the Song II, Getz asked producer Creed Taylor to ensure she was paid no royalties on the single, which went on to sell more than five million copies.[12] It became one of the most covered songs in the history of pop music.[13] In 1964, Gilberto appeared in the films Get Yourself a College Girl and The Hanged Man. Her first solo album was The Astrud Gilberto Album (1965). Upon moving to the United States, she went on tour with Getz.[12] Beginning as a singer of bossa nova and American jazz standards, Gilberto started to record her own compositions in the 1970s. She recorded songs in Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Japanese.[4]

Gilberto in 1970

In 1982, Gilberto's son Marcelo joined her group, touring with her for more than a decade as a bassist. He also served as her road manager, sound technician and personal assistant.[12] Her son Gregory LaSorsa played guitar on the Temperance album on the song "Beautiful You".[17] In 1990 Gilberto and her two sons, João Marcelo and Gregory LaSorsa, together established Gregmar Productions, Inc., a production company aimed at promoting Gilberto's music and developing new material.[18][19]

Gilberto received the Latin Jazz USA Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992 and was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2002.[20] In 1996, she contributed to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization, performing the song "Desafinado" (Portuguese for "slightly out of tune", or "off-key") along with George Michael at his invitation.[12] Although she did not officially retire, Gilberto announced in 2002 that she was taking "indefinite time off" from public performances.[21]

Gilberto's original recording of "Fly Me to the Moon" was featured with Frank Sinatra's version on the soundtrack of Down with Love (2003).[22][23] Her recording "Who Can I Turn To?" was sampled by the Black Eyed Peas in the song "Like That" from their 2005 album Monkey Business.[24] Gilberto's vocals on "Berimbau" were sampled by Cut Chemist in his song "The Garden".[25] Her recording of "Once I Loved" was featured in the 2007 film Juno.[26] On Basia's 1987 debut album, Time and Tide, the track "Astrud" is a tribute to her idol Gilberto.[27][28]

Later in her life, Gilberto was an advocate of animal rights.[4][29] She was the recipient of the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.[30]

Gilberto died at home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 5, 2023, aged 83.[31][2][13][32]

Selected discography

References

  1. ↑ "Why Astrud Gilberto Is So Much More Than 'The Girl From Ipanema'". Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Astrud Gilberto, the voice of 'The Girl From Ipanema', dies aged 83". The Independent. June 6, 2023.
  3. ↑ Denselow, Robin (June 6, 2023). "Astrud Gilberto obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Astrud Gilberto, singer who sent bossa nova around the world with her seductive rendition of The Girl from Ipanema – obituary". The Telegraph. June 6, 2023.
  5. ↑ Strodder, Chris (2007). The Encyclopedia of Sixties Cool: A Celebration of the Grooviest People, Events, and Artifacts of the 1960s. Santa Monica, CA: Santa Monica Press. p. 132.
  6. ↑ Campbell, Mary (May 16, 1965). "Girl From Ipanema Seeks Fame in US". New Brunswick Sunday Home News. Associated Press. p. 23. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Astrud, who was married to Joao Gilberto from 1959 until their divorce in December [1964]...
  7. ↑ Fernandes, Vagner (July 25, 2019). "'João Gilberto nunca se divorciou oficialmente da Astrud no Brasil', comenta Marcelo Gilberto em rede social" ["João Gilberto never officially divorced Astrud in Brazil", Marcelo Gilberto comments on social media]. Heloisa Tolipan. A briga pelo espólio do cantor João Gilberto, que morreu em 6 de julho, ganha novos contornos com a publicação de um post no Facebook do filho do artista, Marcelo Gilberto. 'Você sabia? João Gilberto nunca se divorciou oficialmente da Astrud, no Brasil (apenas separado). Ele permaneceu oficialmente casado com Astrud', revelou Marcelo.
  8. ↑ Del Ré, Adriana (November 3, 2019). "'Meu pai queria ficar comigo', diz filho de João Gilberto" ['My father wanted to keep me', João Gilberto's son says]. O Estado de S. Paulo.
  9. ↑ Gilberto, Astrud. "Interview with Astrud Gilberto". astrudgilberto.com (Interview). Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  10. ↑ "'He made sure that she got nothing': The sad story of Astrud Gilberto, the face of bossa nova". sports.yahoo.com. February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  11. ↑ Murphy, Brian (June 6, 2023). "Astrud Gilberto, who struck fame with 'The Girl From Ipanema,' dies at 83". Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Chilton, Martin (February 15, 2022). "'He made sure that she got nothing': The sad story of Astrud Gilberto, the face of bossa nova". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Farber, Jim (June 6, 2023). "Astrud Gilberto, 83, Dies; Shot to Fame with 'The Girl from Ipanema'". The New York Times.
  14. 1 2 Heching, Dan; Rosenbloom, Alli (June 6, 2023). "Astrud Gilberto, 'Girl from Ipanema' singer who helped bring bossa nova music mainstream, has died". CNN.
  15. ↑ Muggiati, Roberto (March 15, 2013). "Há 50 anos era gravado Getz/Gilberto o LP que colocou o Brasil no mapa" [50 years ago, Getz/Gilberto recorded the LP that put Brazil on the map]. Gazeta do Povo (pt). Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 175. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  17. 1 2 Murphy, Brian (June 6, 2023). "Astrud Gilberto, who struck fame with 'The Girl From Ipanema,' dies at 83". Washington Post.
  18. ↑ "Astrud Gilberto Biography". Astrud Gilberto. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Astrud Gilberto, la fille d'Ipanema et 'reine de la bossa nova'" [Astrud Gilberto, the Ipanema girl and 'Queen of bossa nova']. France 24 (in French). AFP. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  20. ↑ Bowenbank, Starr (June 6, 2023). "Astrud Gilberto, 'The Girl From Ipanema' Singer, Dies at 83". Billboard.
  21. ↑ "The sad story of Astrud Gilberto, the face of bossa nova". The Independent. February 15, 2022.
  22. ↑ Edelstein, David (May 16, 2003). "Walk Away, Renée". Slate. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Ballads, Classics Dominate 'Down With Love'". Billboard. April 30, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  24. ↑ Barry, Rebecca (June 3, 2005). "Peas boiling over". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  25. ↑ Devenish, Colin (July 18, 2005). "Cut Chemist's New Cuts". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  26. ↑ Cills, Hazel (April 17, 2015). "A Mini Guide to the Best Teen Movie Soundtracks". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Basia interview about 'From Newport to London.'". www.popentertainment.com. October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  28. ↑ O'Toole, Kit (September 23, 2011). "Music Review: Basia – From Newport to London: Greatest Hits Live...And More". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  29. ↑ Gilberto, Astrud. "Astrud Gilberto- Animals, They Need Our Help". Archived from the original on April 22, 2006. Retrieved April 6, 2006.
  30. ↑ "Vikki Carr, Cheo Feliciano, Astrud Gilberto, Angelica Maria, Maria Dolores Pradera, and Estela Raval to Receive the 2008 Latin Recording Academy(R)Lifetime Achievement Award". Hispanic PR Newswire. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Cantora Astrud Gilberto, um dos maiores nomes da Bossa Nova, morre aos 83 anos" [Singer Astrud Gilberto, one of the biggest names in Bossa Nova, dies at the age of 83]. Quem [Who] (in Portuguese). Editora Globo. June 6, 2023.
  32. ↑ Boadle, Anthony (June 6, 2023). "'Girl from Ipanema' singer Astrud Gilberto dies at 83". Reuters.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Astrud Gilberto Discography". Astrud Gilberto. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2023.

Notes

  1. ↑ Another source,The Washington Post, says she did marry Nicholas LaSorsa, and they later divorced.[11]

Further reading

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