Stan Getz…the 60’s

Stan Getz’s returned from his European hiatus in the early 60’s and a collaboration with composer / arranger Eddie Sauter was in Stan’s own opinion “the most important recording of my life”. Focus a suite of string compositions including some members of the famous Beaux-Arts Quartet released in 1961. Soon Stan met Charlie Byrd after a Washington D.C. gig and Charlie took him home to listen to some tapes he had collected while touring Latin America, music that was of a jazz/samba mix called Bossa Nova, Charlie Byrd was intrigued with this style of music but couldn’t find anyone who was interested in recording it. Stan contacted Creed Taylor and set up a recording session in the which Charlie Byrd told Stan about “All Souls Unitarian Church” in Washington D.C. and it’s great acoustics.On Feb. 13th 1962 Creed flew down from New York and the album Jazz Samba was put down on tape. In August Stan was surprised at how well “Jazz Samba” was received, out selling his” Focus” album and by September of 62 it made the Pop Charts. Two weeks later Desafinado was recorded and the last weeks of 1962 saw a nation wide “Bossa Nova” Craze with Stan on top in the Downbeat Poll.

Focus

Jazz Samba

March 18th 1963 Getz/Gilberto was recorded and a year later released on the Verve label. June 64 saw it climbing the charts and in July it was #5 on the pop charts. Getz/Gilbertowon Grammys “Album of the year” in 65, with “The Girl From Ipanema” the single of the year.

Getz/Gilberto