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This item usually ships in 1-3 days This item does not qualify for discounts, special promotions or coupon codes. Listed price is subject to change, according to availability and market value. 01. Samba Do Soho 02. I'm Nothing Without You 03. Champagne and Caviar 04. Listen to Your Heart 05. Moonrain 06. Caravan 07. Amor E Som 08. Saci 09. Forgive Me 10. With Love (When They Turn on the Light) 11. Agua de Beber   Samba do Soho (mp3)   I'm Nothing Without You (mp3)   Champagne And Caviar (mp3)   Listen To You Heart (mp3)   Amor E Som (mp3)   Saci (mp3)   With Love (mp3)   Agua de Beber (mp3) Personnel: Astrud Gilberto (vocal), Ron Last (guest vocal on ‘Listen To Your Heart’ and ‘When They Turn Out The Lights’, ‘Moon Rain’), Paulo Jobim (guest vocal on ‘Samba Do Soho’ and ‘Saci’), David Sacks (trombone), Steve Herrick (piano, keyboards), Paulo Jobim, Romero Lubambo, Peter Hesslein (guitar), Marcello Gilberto (4 and 5-string electric bass), Duduka Da Fonseca (drums), Café, Duduka Da Fonseca (percussion). James Last Orchestra: James Last (conductor), Stan Sulzmann (flute), Karl Hermann Luer (flute, saxophone), Stan Sulzmann (saxophone), Bob Coassin, Derek Watkins, Bob Lanese, Halan Nyqvist (trumpet), Ole Holmquist, Björn Hängsel, Detlef Surmann (trombone), Ron Last (synthesizer), Gunter Platzek (Piano), Terry Jenkins (drums), Herbert Bornholdt (percussion), Christian H. Brüning, Richard Kohnen, Wulf Lohbeck, Stefan Pintev, Ralf Caspers, Winfried Vogele, Frederike Zumach, Sally Ann Ewins, Ron Last, Alfred Meichsner (violin), Anne-Louise Comerford, Christine Kaulbach, Uli Schneider, Gerd Grabnitz (viola), Thomas Bruder, Christoph Weiss, Joachim Kerwin (cello), Benny Bendorff, Uwe Boiko, Axel Schonlein (Bass). Paulo Jobim, Katie Kissoon. Pearly Gates, Nicky Sun (background vocals). Produced by Astrud Gilberto and James Last. Orchestral arrangements by James Last. Recorded 1986 at New River Sound, Florida and Studio Hamburg, Germany.

Astrud Gilberto’s ascendancy to Bossa stardom began with the Getz/Gilberto recording sessions in 1963, when circumstances (along with some gentle ‘insistence’ from Stan Getz) led to her recording debut: singing in English on ‘Corcovado’ and ‘The Girl From Ipanema’. A legendary album was the result, but Astrud’s contribution created a problem for producer Creed Taylor: Was ‘Getz/Gilberto’ a jazz recording or a pop record? The finished project sat on a corner of Taylor’s desk for nearly a year as he wrestled with the decision. When it was finally released in 1964, the album bulleted to the top of the Billboard hot 100 chart and remained there for 96 weeks – the only album to hold off the Beatles (for a time) as pop music underwent its sea change. Initially, Bossa’s success here in the US rode on the tandem talents of Astrud and Taylor and with his direction the Brazilian singer racked up a string of pop recordings – five albums in less than three years. As the 60’s drew to a close, Gilberto struggled to keep pace with the changing musical landscape and by 1970 her ties to the Bossa Nova sound that she helped to make famous were nearly severed. Only 1971’s reunion with Creed Taylor on ‘Astrud Gilberto With Stanley Turrentine’ is a worthy highlight. In 1986 Gilberto teamed up with James Last to give us one of her greatest recordings. As co-producer, its obvious that she gleaned a bit of Creed Taylor’s magic to make it all come together. James Last and his orchestra were on an unprecedented roll, particularly in England, where between 1967 and 1986 Last was the 2nd most selling performer in terms of the number of charting records – just behind Elvis Presley. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s son Paulo joined Astrud’s group, bringing his guitar, vocal and songwriting skills with him. One of these songs – ‘Samba do Soho’ – was newly written for his father’s upcoming ‘Passarim’ album, but its debut was given to Astrud. There’s another debut for Astrud here: that of ‘songwriter’ on ‘Champagne and Caviar’ (a true Bossa with a modern flair) and ‘Amor E Som’ - a smooth and brassy jewel delivered with surprising authority by Gilberto. There’s more: Astrud’s English lyrics for ‘I’m Nothing Without You’ (English title) realizes the full potential of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s ‘Eu Não Existo Sem Você’ which was originally written as a samba-canção (love ballad) in 1954. Duke Ellington’s ‘Caravan’ sports a new sound and her duets with Ron Last on ‘Listen To Your Heart’ and ‘When They Turn Out The Lights’ are simply refreshing. James Last’s arrangements play a big part in the success of this album – it’s a perfect match. The ‘Plus’ album came along after a ten year hiatus for the singer; long enough to qualify as a ‘comeback’ recording. Some of these succeed, most do not, but its clear that Astrud was ready for the opportunity and to say that all of the elements for this album combined to rise to the occasion would be a monumental understatement. Twenty years on, ‘Plus’ shows no sign of aging. Its as graceful and poignant as those first few words ever recorded by Astrud – way backing 1963 – on a wintry afternoon in New York city: “Tall and tan and young and lovely…”