Jazz Samba

The Bossa Nova craze invaded the United States in 1962, and the present LP by Stan Getz and Laurindo Almeida, Jazz Samba, had a lot to do with it. While previous attempts to translate the Brazilian rhythms of the Samba and the Bossa Nova existed, "Jazz Samba" became an instant hit and revitalized Stan Getz’s career to a point he never expected.

Many more Bossa Nova albums would follow over the next years, both by Getz and by a myriad of jazz artists, and musicians like Joâo Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim would gain widespread recognition. “After years of recording with just a rhythm section and possibly a second horn, Getz is moving away from this commonplace form of jazz release and appears to be concentrating on imaginatively conceived discs”, wrote John S. Wilson in his Down Beat review, which granted the album four and a half stars. He went on to say that, “These tracks are beautifully turned little gems played by a pair of brilliant jazz musicians who seem very much in rapport.”

"Jazz Samba" has continued to be highly praised, and Steve Huey gave it a five-star rating in All Music Guide, stating that, “Jazz Samba is crucial and groundbreaking; it was the first full-fledged bossa nova album ever recorded by American jazz musicians. And it was just as commercially successful, topping the LP charts and producing its own pop chart hit single in ‘Desafinado’. A revelatory classic. Absolutely essential for any jazz collection.”