Eliane Elias: Summer Samba (So Nice)
[purchase]
Bossa nova, that Brazilian jazzy sound that swept the US in the 60's, always seems like summer music to me. It brings to mind the sunny beaches of Ipanema, the hot nights of Carnaval, steamy clubs that entice us with barely-clad bodies dancing to slow sambas… fans self
Summer Samba (aka So Nice) was written by the Brazilian composer Marcos Valle in 1966 and has been covered by a million singers ever since. This version is by one of my favorite female artists, Eliane Elias, who is a singer, pianist, and songwriter as well. I was lucky to see her live last year, and she's really engaging to see in person. She makes her home in NYC, so she shows up in the US quite a bit.
So on this 95-degree Denver day, far from any beaches except maybe what's left of the Cretaceous shoreline that used to be here, I'm imagining myself with a tall, fruity umbrella drink and sharing this samba with you. À nossa saúde!