Verve Vault Series Opens With Antonio Carlos Jobim "All the Hits" Classic

luxury you can definitely afford

Sweet, sweeping strings, fluttering flutes, melancholic trombone, soft bass line and an insistent bossa nova beat tapped out on a snare rim, back the then little known performer but well known composer Antonio Carlos Jobim on his first studio album (though his songs had previously appeared on a 1958 João Gilberto album and of course of Stan Getz's Jazz Samba). Jobim plays rhythm acoustic guitar and taps out on one finger piano the melodies to a dozen of his most well-known now classic songs.

The combination of these elements (George Duvivier, bass, Edison Machado drums, Leo Wright flute, Jimmy Cleveland trombone), arranged by Claus Ogerman is both endless seductive and remarkably enduring—though it sometimes (some would say always) borders on easy listening schmalz. I've been playing this one since it was first released in 1963. Back then I didn't know who engineer Phil Ramone was, but my Koss Pro 4A headphone wearing chubby self reliably remarked every play "wow this sounds spectacular!"

Fall of '64 in my freshman college dorm this album comfortably rotated with Stones, Kinks, Beatles and Monk, among others, including of course Stan Getz's Jazz Samba, the album that kicked off the whole Bossa Nova craze in America and gave Verve Records a huge boost.

Ryan K. Smith's mastering cut directly from the original tapes (plus the plating and Optimal pressing) is a cut above the 3 originals I have. Verve brings this in at $27.98, making it a can't be beat musical and sonic treat. The reasonable price results from a direct to board not laminated Tip-On style gatefold jacket.

Highly recommended! I can't imagine a well-stocked record collection not having this one....especially if you're single.