Cool School: Bebel Gilberto Mixes It Up At Bimbo’s

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New bossa nova doyenne Bebel Gilberto has done a lot of growing since her SF debut back at the turn of the century at Bimbo’s 365 Club. Her 2000 debut, Tanto Tempo, had just come out on Ziriguiboom and local imprint Six Degrees and the recording was only beginning to reach the ears of both Brazilian music fans and electronica coolios, both world pop aficionados and lovers of well-chilled downtempo beats. The daughter of bossa nova innovator Joao Gilberto and vocalist Miucha and niece of Chico Buarque, Gilberto resembled a clubland diva more than a barefoot girl from Ipanema with her big hoop earrings and slinky knits -- though an almost shy-violet sweetness came through loud and clear as she responded gratefully to the crowd.

Since then Gilberto’s music has gotten the remix treatment by everyone from the Thievery Corporation and DJ Spinna to the Truby Trio and Mario Caldato Jr. and taken some unexpected turns (see the almost orchestral indie pop sounds on her second album, Bebel Gilberto). Now she’s made the leap into the arms of a jazz institution, Verve Records, with this year’s All in One. You can hear the entire album streaming on her site, and she performs Thursday, Dec. 10, at Bimbo's 365 Club.



The title track off Bebel Gilberto's third album, Momento.

In love with new husband Didie Cunha and working with mostly love songs, the NYC native finds herself further modernizing her father’s sound on her fourth long-player, venturing into chill-out pop sounds that wouldn’t be out of place on a Zero 7 release alongside collaborators such as Amy Winehouse producer Mark Ronson, John King of the Dust Brothers, and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s grandson Daniel Jobim. Still, Gilberto ties her forays into poppier fare like the English-language title track and her seductive ‘n’ sinuous take on Stevie’ Wonder’s “The Real Thing” to the playfulness and depth of her heritage: Lend an ear to her version of her father’s “Bim Bom” and her take on Brazilian icon Carmen Miranda’s “Chica Chica Boom Chic.”

Bebel Gilberto performs Thursday, Dec. 10, 8 p.m., at Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus, SF. $25. (415) 474-0365.

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