why do all Bossa's sound like elevator music ??

CalebFSU

All I want to say is Amen to Archtop Eddy!! I would also rather play any Bossa than Sweet Georgia Brown. I have had a chip on my shoulder about that tune for years. (i started a thread on the UK hot club forum years ago about how that song annoyed me lol). I really love Brazilian music, Samba, Bossa, Tropicalia lots of stuff. I blame the elevator companies on this one!!

Jim Kaznosky

Heh. I'm not crazy about them, but they can draw people in. I would imagine that listeners might respond to it when they hear it because it breaks up the swing. I'd say that's true for our crowd with any song we play with a "latin" feel. That all being said, I'm sort of reluctant to learn them, as I rarely have an opportunity to play them.

frater

I take Bossa nova quite seriously but I find very hard to keep a straight face when somebody is playing Bossa Gypsy style.

CalebFSU

frater I tend to be with you on that. I just don't think of them as the same thing.

Lango-Django

OK, as long as we are on the subject, I will have to agree with several posters that, yes, "Sweet Georgia Brown" is possibly even more annoying than any of the bossas commonly played by GJ guitarists.... So I'd say, don't play any of 'em!

personally, I like the more obscure swing-era jazz standards... "roses of Picardie". "if I had you" "the man I love" "softly as in a morning sunrise" "lullabye of the leaves" "when your lover has gone" "Louise"

there are dozens of other similar tunes with great changes and memorable melodies.... but I suppose any one of these lovely old tunes could, with constant repetition, become as toxic as "SGB"


will

Jon

I kind of agree with Anthony - I think that a lot of modern stuff sounds a bit like elevator music. Don't think its necessarily the Neumann's fault though (or not entirely). Some people are just too polite by half. Tchavolo playing Jardin D'hiver doesn't sound too much like elevator music to me (certainly not when he gets into it), because he - like Django - isn't all smoothness, but a bit rough round the edges, and happy to suddenly change dynamic or set up over the top contrasts. Lots of guys now are just not crazy enough, and yes, I think that perhaps Bossas foreground their sanity, whereas swing is maybe just inherently a small bit more wild.

With bossas too, the stuff that's really, really great, like Joao Gilberto's solo playing, is great because of the crazy rhythmic stuff he sings over the top of the steady pulse. Most modern gypsy or jazz interpretations adopt all of the politeness and gentleness - the blandness - and miss the rhythmic and melodic dissonance that was a huge part of that music at it's height (before sophistication buried it).

Jon

Al Watsky

With bossas too, the stuff that's really, really great, like Joao Gilberto's solo playing, is great because of the crazy rhythmic stuff he sings over the top of the steady pulse. Most modern gypsy or jazz interpretations adopt all of the politeness and gentleness - the blandness - and miss the rhythmic and melodic dissonance that was a huge part of that music at it's height (before sophistication buried it).

Jon[/quote]

Great music , is great.
The whole bossa burnout thing is a syndrome of mediocrity.
Have you guys all played Wave 200,000,00 times with a piano player that doesn't know the bridge while 500 people eat tainted shrimp ?

anthon_74

Lango-Django wrote:

OK, as long as we are on the subject, I will have to agree with several posters that, yes, "Sweet Georgia Brown" is possibly even more annoying than any of the bossas commonly played by GJ guitarists.... So I'd say, don't play any of 'em!

I wouldn't go so far as to say that st georgia brown is more annoying than a Bossa, but I must admit that after playing the hell out of it leading up to, and for a few months after last years Django in june (primarily to work out phrasing over dominant 7th chords) I never really play it anymore.

It's also not my favorite Django recording.

But more annoying than the gypsy Bossa.... mmmm.... I don't think so.

I personally don't get bored of the swing though...Unless it's the same ultra fast tempo the entire time (you can only take so much 280 - 320 bpm songs before they all sound the same).

Anthony

adrian

Amen! Glad to see somebody say this out in the open. Gypsy bossas are not my cup of tea, either.

"Real" bossa nova is a different story -- like the Getz/Gilberto album, which is easily one of my desert island discs. But Rosenberg Trio-style bossa...I'd be happy if I never heard or played Bossa Dorado again.

Adrian

Michael Bauer

And all along I thought it was just me. Last year on Monday evening At Django in June, a few people gathered in my room to jam. Bossa Dorado got called about about four times in two hours! I was still tired from the drive, and finally I just said it, "I hate bossas!" After the fourth one, I jokingly threatened to eject the next person who called it out. So in walks a new jammer soon after, and, as soon as it was his turn, calls out Bossa Dorado. I went for a walk.