Bossa Nova Legends
Bossa Nova Legends Johnny Alf and Alaíde Costa
 Pianist,
singer and songwriter Johnny Alf -"the spiritual father of
Bossa Nova" (O Globo) - teams up with his favourit Brazilian
singer of all time: vocalist Alaíde Costa.
 Alaíde
Costa
The public outside Brazil might not be so familiar with her name,
but nonetheless Alaíde Costa (pronounced ala’eedjee) played a crucial
part in bossa nova’s coming into being at Copacabana. Originally
lending her dark and smooth alto voice to the interpretation of
boleros she was soon discovered by João Gilberto himself in 1959,
who kindled her interest in the new genre. On September 22nd she
rose to stardom during the “Samba Session Festival” (the name “bossa
nova” still hadn’t become established yet), where the outstanding
musicians of this new wave had gathered around the unifying figure
of Ronaldo Bôscoli. Costa scintillated with “Chora Tua Tristeza”,
the very same song which has been rerecorded for this CD as a reminiscence
of that thrilling days. Highly estimated by critics and connoisseurs
Alaíde Costa recorded her legendary LP “Canta Suavemente” in 1960,
a rare collector’s item nowadays, and was dropped by her record
company little later. Latent racism surely played a role, since
as a “mulata”, Costa didn’t fit in the brand philosophy of the bossa,
mainly a domain of white musicians. However she managed to get some
popularity in São Paulo in the Mid-Sixties where she recorded „Afinal“,
a brilliant bossa long player, that still is available to the present
day. In the following decades Costa’s career was marked by many
ups and downs, but again and again she went to the studio for famous
compatriots like samba legend Paulinho Da Viola and bossa poet Vinicius
De Moraes. She even teamed up with Milton Nascimento on „Clube Da
Esquina“, one of the most important milestone albums of the Música
Popular Brasileira.
 Johnny
Alf
is said to be one of the most important forerunners of bossa nova
in the Fifties. Alfredo José da Silva started his musical career
with classical piano studies, but soon developed a strong interest
in songs by Gershwin, Sinatra and Nat King Cole. At the age of 23
he began to perform professionally in the night bars at Copacabana
under his new name Johnny Alf and made acquaintance with the scene
forming around João Gilberto and João Donato. Trained by jazz harmonies
he composed „Rapaz De Bem“, one of the first songs ever to hint
at the burgeoning of the bossa through its harmonic refinement.
Legions of Brazilian musicians have been influenced by his way of
playing the piano as well as by his elegant voice. In the Seventies
he recorded first-rate LPs, supported y Egberto Gismonti or Gilberto
Gil. Up to the present day Johnny Alf continues his career: A few
years ago he demonstrated his live qualities with a taping of a
club concert named “Eu E A Bossa”. In 1999, at the age of seventy,
he was given the Shell award for his crucial part as precursor of
the bossa.
The Bossa Nova Legends
Johnny Alf, vocals/piano
Alaíde Costa, vocals
Kim Barth, saxes/flutes
Paulo Morello, guitar
Joao Carlos Coutinho, piano
Lucio Nascimento, bass
Adriano de Oliveira, drums
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