Songwriter/pianist/guitarist/vocalist Antonio Carlos Jobim attracted attention in his native Brazil in 1956 when he contributed to the score of a play called Orfeo do Carnaval with poet Vinicius de Moraes. When the play was made into the film Black Orpheus in 1959, its soundtrack attracted the attention of American jazz musicians.

In 1963 Jobim recorded with fellow Brazilian, singer Joao Gilberto (who had already recorded several of Jobim’s songs), and American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz. The album, Getz/Gilberto with Jobim on piano, won four Grammy’s (including Best Album) and spawned a sequel (Volume 2) the following year. Although Getz had previously recorded an album called Jazz Samba, it was the 1963 release that launched the bossa nova craze. Getz/Gilberto became one of the best selling albums of all time, and in 2003 Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 454 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. One of its songs, “The Girl from Ipanema” sung by Astrud Gilberto (Joao’s wife), attracted attention internationally.

Jobim enjoyed many successes between Getz/Gilberto and the album Wave which was released in 1967. The arrangements on Wave are by Claus Ogermann and several songs feature trombonist Urbie Green. “Wave” and “Triste” were the only two songs from the album to become hits. Jobim wrote the Portuguese and English lyrics for both songs. A 1996 collection of Jobim’s work entitled Wave: The Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook features many outstanding jazz artists such as Oscar Peterson, Toots Thielemans, Pat Metheny, Sarah Vaughan, and Brazilian singer Elis Regina.

Ella Fitzgerald recorded “Wave” in her 1981 tribute to Jobim, and a recently discovered recording of Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan, and George Shearing in a 1982 concert features “Wave.” Sarah Vaughan was noted for her rendition, guitarist Mimi Fox included the song in her 2001 CD Standards, and saxophonist Anton Schwartz recorded it for his 2006 release Radiant Blue. As could be expected, several native Brazilian jazz artists have recorded “Wave,” including Sergio Mendez and Brasil 66, guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, and pianists Manfredo Fest and Eliane Elias.