João Gilberto

Along with Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto defined the bossa nova sound. With his whispering vocals and subtle, rhythmically complex guitar work, he was the perfect conduit for Jobim's musical message. His collaborations with his wife Astrud and U.S. saxman Stan Getz sparked a worldwide bossa nova craze in the early 1960s. Decades later, after his daughter Bebel went on to bossa nova/pop crossover success, he remained the primary interpreter of the style.