A Grammy Award for the best record of the year 1964 rewarded this legendary version of "A Garota de Ipanema", by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes which, on a syncopated rhythm of samba mixed with cool jazz, remains a worldwide success 50 years later.

It was in New York that Astrud Gilberto, whose family announced the death on Tuesday, recorded "The Girl from Ipanema" with singer and guitarist Joao Gilberto, then her husband, and American saxophonist Stan Getz for whom she will leave the latter.

She says she owes her popularity to an unexpected proposal by Joao Gilberto, in full rehearsal with Stan Getz, to make her sing a chorus in English. "This song will make you famous," the saxophonist predicts in the recording studio.

At 24, with her wise and gentle look, the pretty brunette immediately conquers the public, but to overcome her fear of the stage she must follow the theater classes of the Stella Adler school, in New York. The concert of the three friends at Carnegie Hall in New York, in October 1964, brought them to the pinnacle.

"Rest in peace, my eternal muse. Now you're going to sing with the birds and angels around you," singer Bebel Gilberto, daughter of Joao Gilberto with his second wife, Miucha, said on Instagram.

Born on March 30, 1940 in Salvador de Bahia (Brazilian Northeast), of a Brazilian mother and a German father, Astrud Weinert grew up in Rio de Janeiro and, at 19, married Joao Gilberto whose album "Chega de saudade" had just seduced Brazilians, on a new rhythm of bossa nova ("new thing").

Shyness overcome

After "The Girl from Ipanema", the one who is often called the "queen of bossa nova" continues her career in the United States where she remained after her divorce with Joao Gilberto, then her separation with Stan Getz.

"Fly Me to the Moon" (1972) is a new major success for the singer who becomes a composer with the albums "Astrud Gilberto Now" and "That Girl from Ipanema" where on lyrics by Hal Shaper, she also stands out with "Far Away", sung in duet with Chet Baker, the idol of her adolescence.

His overcame shyness allows him to perform on tour throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, with his group of musicians, including Marcelo Gilberto, one of his two sons, on bass.

With him and her brother Gregory Lasorsa, she created Gregmar Productions, which released a tribute album to Antonio Carlos Jobim.

The year 2001 is that of the last appearance on stage of the artist who, after a Latin Jazz USA Award, is inducted in New York into the Latin Music Hall of Fame. In 2008, she received a Latin Grammy Award for her lifetime achievement.

Away from the spotlight, Astrud Gilberto lived his last years in Philadelphia, USA, and devoted himself to painting and fighting for animal rights. She is the author of the essay "Animals, they need our help!!!" (Animals need our help).

She died less than four years after Joao Gilberto, who died in July 2019.

With her, Brazil has just lost a third renowned singer in a few months: Gal Costa, icon of tropicalism who died in November, and Rita Lee, queen of Brazilian rock, who died in May.

© 2023 AFP