Gilberto’s tone and performance were immaculate, and he received a thunderous ovation.John Barclay has spent much of the past decade orchestrating some of Brooklyn’s best and most beloved parties and DIY spaces-think 285 Kent, or Bushwick’s occasionally notorious “Trip House”-and last December opened up his first full-on bar, Bossa Nova Civic Club (also in Bushwick). Then, Antonio Carlos Jobim joined them for ‘Corcovado’ and ‘Desafinado’. First, it was ‘Samba da Minha Terra’ and ‘Outra Vez’ with drummer Milton Banana’s soft playing. Minutes later, a calm and confident João Gilberto was welcomed to the stage with Leonard Feather’s introduction. She rushed to the Carnegie’s seamstress and together, they forced open the door to the ironing room. After all, pianists and drummers could hide their legs easily, but for a guitarist?īut it was vice-consul Dona Dora Vasconcellos who quickly resolved the show-stopping dilemma. I can’t go on like this.” As the story goes, Gilberto had a right to be concerned. So, Gilberto quickly summoned Mário Dias Costa. João Gilberto closed the show, and a mishap leading up to his performance is a story in itself.ĭuring his flight to New York, a crease on João Gilberto’s dress pants decided to take a different route, which was completely unacceptable. It was Sabino who took Jobim to the airport and waited there until Jobim boarded the plane. Starting tonight, the whole world is going to hear you.” I’m very happy to be with you.”Īs he was speaking, Jobim might have been reflecting on the words of his friend, Fernando Sabino earlier that day. I’m loving the people, the town, everything. “It’s my first time in New York, and I’m very, very, very glad to be here. He took a quick bow, ready to leave the stage, but the audience called him back with rapturous applause. Then he started over, delivering a flawless performance in Portuguese and English that brought the house down. So, he motioned to guitarist Robert Menescal and drummer Milton Banana to… stop. He followed with ‘Corcovado’ but started with the wrong key. However, he recovered during the first stanza and finished perfectly – even in English – to the sheer delight of the crowd. And he was nervous.Īccording to Ruy Castro’s book, Bossa Nova, Jobim opened with ‘One Note Samba’ and fumbled with the lyrics. He strode to his piano, centerstage at the world-famous Carnegie Hall. One of the best highlights was Agostinho das Santos singing ‘Manha De Carnaval’ with guitarist Luís Bonfá. Then, the audience was treated to many of Bossa Nova’s young rising stars. Sergio Mendes opened the show with his Sextet for ‘One Note Samba’. Those in attendance may have spotted luminaries including Tony Bennett, Miles Davis, and Peggy Lee.īut all eyes and ears were on the stage. But the microphones used to fill the hall with Brazil’s ‘new sound’ caused problems throughout the event.Įsteemed jazz journalist Leonard Feather acted as MC to a sold-out audience of about 3,000. There were additional microphones for CBS, Radio Free America, BBC, Free Europe Radio, and Brazil’s Radio Bandeirantes. A glance that the stage would capture a “forest of microphones”.Īudio Fidelity was well-positioned to record the entire concert for an upcoming album. This wasn’t the only sound problem of the night. They were served up by the IBC (Brazil’s Institute of Coffee) and easily heard on the Main Floor. The Hall’s foyer was filled with the clanking of thousands of coffee cups, saucers, and spoons. The balcony was a better deal at just $2.80. Tickets for the Bossa Nova concert at Carnegie Hall for ‘front row, center’ would have set you back $4.80 a seat. Who would pay for airfare and accommodations? Taken care of.Īnd just like that, the impossible dream was ready for showtime at Carnegie Hall.Įxplaining Bossa Nova At Carnegie Hall: November 21, 1962 A stalemate occurred and when intercontinental bickering arose, Ambassador Mário Dias Costa arrived to calm the waters. But back in Rio, uncertainties began to rise with all concerned. The bottom line.įrey returned to New York with a clutch of signed contracts. It was stormy inside Rio’s record companies and music publishing houses, too, where the line forming was of a different kind. It caught up with every musician in the city, landing them at the footsteps of the Copacabana Palace, where Frey was taking meetings. The lavish spread and Frey’s audacious idea had their intended effect.įor days, the news swept through Brazilian media like a storm. It was a great idea, one passed along to Frey by the Brazilian vice-consul in New York, Dona Dora Vasconcellos. Ready to hold a well-catered press conference for his plan to bring Bossa Nova to Carnegie Hall. And where was Sidney Frey in September of 1962? He was in the Green Room at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro.
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