🎷Performing “Corcovado” with my talented Jazz Pianist friend Kimiko Arimoto and her band Afterglow Jazz Quartet at the former Max’s Opera Cafe was an unforgettable experience.
🍹Now rebranded as Max’s of Burlingame, Max’s Opera Cafe was an iconic restaurant in the Bay Area known for its combination of fine dining and live opera performances. The restaurant’s signature offering was its mix of classic American cuisine and entertainment, where talented opera singers performed alongside the dining experience, creating a unique and vibrant atmosphere. It was an honor to be part of its rich legacy.
🎵About the Song
"Corcovado," meaning "hunchback" in Portuguese, is not just a song, but an iconic bossa nova jazz standard composed by the legendary Brazilian musician Antônio Carlos Jobim. Jobim, known for his pivotal role in popularizing bossa nova, wrote "Corcovado" in 1960, with lyrics by poet Vinicius de Moraes. The song's title refers to the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, home to the famous Christ the Redeemer statue.
"Corcovado" reflects the beauty and tranquility of Rio, its lyrics capturing a sense of peace, serenity, and the beauty of love. The melody's gentle rhythm and melodic flow, combined with the poetic lyrics, evoke a feeling of romantic nostalgia and a deep connection to the natural beauty of Brazil.
Over the years, "Corcovado" has been covered by numerous artists across various genres, becoming a timeless classic in the world of music and retaining its significance in both jazz and popular music spheres. Its enduring popularity and universal appeal have cemented its place as a musical masterpiece in the hearts of many.
🎤Lyrics in Portuguese
Um cantinho e um violão
Este amor, uma canção
Pra fazer feliz a quem se ama
Muita calma pra pensar
E ter tempo pra sonhar
Da janela vê-se o Corcovado
O Redentor, que lindo
Quero a vida sempre assim
Com você perto de mim
Até o apagar da velha chama
E eu que era triste
Descrente deste mundo
Ao encontrar você eu conheci
O que é felicidade meu amor
🎤Lyrics in English
Quiet nights of quiet stars,
quiet chords from my guitar,
floating on the silence that surrounds us.
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams,
quiet walks by quiet streams
and a window that looks out on Corcovado,
oh how lovely.
This is where I want to be
here with you so close to me
until the final flicker of life's embers.
I, who was lost and lonely
believing life was only
a bitter tragic joke
I found with you
the meaning of existence,
oh my love