Compiling all of João Gilberto's revolutionary recordings from 1958 to 1961, this is a pocket history of the birth of bossa nova. On instant standards like Antonio Carlos Jobim's lilting "Chega de Saudade" and elegantly languid "Desafinado", Gilberto's affectless, vibrato-free vocal style and beautifully restrained guitar work bring cool modernity to the rhythmic pulse of Brazilian music. Less familiar tunes—the playful shuffle "Lobo Bobo", the flirtatious "Doralice" and the close-mic’d intimacy of "Outra Vez"—are every bit as timeless and appealing.