The easy-to-love, soft and swinging sound of bossa nova swept the world in the 1960s, and much of its fame rested with the supremely talented composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. Mr Jobim recorded generously throughout his career, but this 70s collection with marvellous singer Elis Regina is something rather special. Elis and Tom create a darker, more fatalistic bossa record than we are used to, with strong, deep-blue emotions expressed via Elis' searing voice and some wonderfully varied instrumentation, including a dramatic string section that sounds positively mournful when paired with Ms Regina's limpid vocals.
The songs themselves are some of Jobim's most wonderful. The classic "Inutil Paisagem" benefits from hauting solo piano accompaniment; "Triste" is the definitive recording of this truly beguiling melody; and, my personal desert island track, "Retrato em Preto e Branco", which is the very definition of melancholy and unbelievably beautiful.
So, if you want to sample another face of bossa nova, something away from the beach-party of Ipanema, I wholeheartedly reccommend this sad, soulful hour with Elis and Tom.