The Shadow of Your Smile

by Astrud Gilberto

Overview

For her second Verve LP, Astrud Gilberto expanded her range from a raft of Gilberto/Jobim standards to embrace the large and obviously daunting catalogue of classic American pop. With arrangements by Don Sebesky and Claus Ogerman (as well as two by country-mate Joao Donato), The Shadow of Your Smile can't help but shine a bright spotlight on Gilberto's weak voice, especially when she's singing material previously enlightened by singers with the weight of Frank Sinatra or Sarah Vaughan. Even the intimate, understated arrangements on songs like "Day by Day," the title track, and "Fly Me to the Moon" overshadow the chanteuse's limited range. Brazilian material like the five songs by Luiz Bonfa make for better listening, though the preponderance of flutes, strings, and muted trumpet in the arrangements is very mid-'60s, for better and worse. (And the notes' description of "O Ganso" as an "exercise in vocalise based on bah and dah sounds" is being more than generous.) Certainly, no American vocalist could hope to equal the tortured syntax and somehow endearing performances on these songs; still, Verve did much better by Gilberto later on when they gave her good-time Brazilian songs to sing and didn't attempt to force comparison with standard jazz/pop vocalists. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	03/08/2024
Label:	Endless Happiness
UPC:	5060672888912
Rank:	39863

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Astrud Gilberto   Primary Artist,Vocals
Don Sebesky   Guest Artist,Conductor
Joao Donato   Guest Artist,Conductor
Urbie Green   Guest Artist,Trombone
Kai Winding   Guest Artist,Trombone
Claus Ogerman   Guest Artist,Conductor
Bob Brookmeyer   Trombone (Valve)

Technical Credits

Leslie Bricusse   Composer
Val Valentin   Director of Engineering
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Creed Taylor   Producer
Carlos Lyra   Composer
Johnny Mandel   Composer
Luiz Bonfa   Composer
Maria Toledo   Composer
Axel Stordahl   Composer
Phil Ramone   Engineer
Alan Brandt   Composer
Antonio Maria   Composer,Composer
Bryan Koniarz   Producer
Paul Francis Webster   Composer
Anthony Newley   Composer
Ken Druker   Executive Producer
Ennio Morricone   Composer
Don Sebesky   Arranger
Claus Ogerman   Arranger
Joao Donato   Arranger
Kevin Reeves   Mastering
Bob Simpson   Engineer
Kenneth Harrison   Cover Photo
Paul Weston   Composer
Guido Castaldo   Composer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Bart Howard   Composer
Norman Gimbel   Composer
Geraldo Vandre   Composer
Hollis King   Art Direction
Matt Dubey   Composer
Isabelle Wong   Design
Mark Smith   Production Assistant
Sherniece Smith   Art Producer
Maria Helena Toledo   Composer
Francesco Torti   Composer