Description

1LP Vinyl – MOVLP1318

Although the name Stan Getz (tenor sax) was initially synonymous with the West Coast cool scene during the mid-to-late 1950s, he likewise became a key component in the Bossa Nova craze of the early 1960s. Getz Au Go Go (1965) is Stan Getz in his prime, recorded with perhaps one of the best quartets of his career, featuring Bossa Nova singer Astrud Gilberto.

The album was recorded in 1964 during two concerts in the venerable Greenwich Village venue, the Café Au Go Go, two months after Astrud Gilberto's "Girl From Ipanema" became a Top Five pop single. However, the focus of Getz Au Go Go steers away from the Brazilian flavored fare, bringing Gilberto into the realm of a decidedly more North American style.

That said, there are a few Antonio Carlos Jobim compositions — "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)" and "One Note Samba" — both of which would be considered as jazz standards in years to follow. The album boasts wonderful versions of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's "It Might as Well Be Spring," and the scintillating instrumental "Summertime," from Porgy & Bess.

The band features a young Gary Burton (vibraphone), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Gene Cherico (bass), and Joe Hunt (drums). There are a few personnel substitutions, with Helcio Milito (drums) and Chuck Israels (bass), respectively, filling in. Getz Au Go Go is highly recommended for all dimensions of jazz enthusiasts.