Bossa nova began in Rio’s neighborhoods of Ipanema and
Copacabana. Tom Jobim single handedly invented bossa nova but it was first sung
by Bahian João Gilberto. By 1959, it took off abroad and Astrud Gilberto’s
English version of “The Girl from Ipanema” became Brazil’s biggest
international hit.
Bossa nova’s international craze was eventually eclipsed,
but it still survived back home. A recent revival in New York has been headed
by Arto Lindsay and Vinicius Cantuária.