João Gilberto and Stan Getz's Getz/Gilberto (33 1/3 Brazil)

Most dedicated Brazilian music enthusiasts would contend that Getz/Gilberto, the iconic 1964 album featuring 'The Girl from Ipanema,' isn't the quintessential bossa nova record. Yet, we've all encountered 'The Girl from Ipanema' as background music in countless bland settings, from cocktail parties to telephone hold music. So, how did Getz/Gilberto become the universally recognised Brazilian album, transcending generational and demographic boundaries?

Bryan McCann meticulously traces the history and creation of Getz/Gilberto as a musical collaboration between João Gilberto, a leading figure of bossa nova, and Stan Getz, the cool jazz artist from Philadelphia and New York. McCann also uncovers the contributions of the less understood participants: Astrud Gilberto's unrehearsed, English-language vocals; Creed Taylor's immaculate production; and Olga Albizu's striking, abstract-expressionist cover art. He demonstrates how a perfect equilibrium of talents resulted in not just a magnificent album, but a global pop phenomenon. Furthermore, he explains how Getz/Gilberto emerged from the vibrant context of Bossa Nova Rio de Janeiro, a brief period when the subtle harmonies and aching melodies of bossa nova seemed to distil the spirit of a modernising, sensuous city.

33 1/3 Global, a series related to but independent from 33 1/3, adopts the format of the original series of concise, music-focused books and shifts its attention to music from across the globe. With initial volumes concentrating on Japanese and Brazilian music, the series will also feature volumes on the popular music of Australia/Oceania, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond.