Hot Tropical Nights. The Invention of Bossa Nova. João Gilberto and 100 Years of Tom Jobim

• 5 December 2026 | 8.00 pm
• Brotfabrik Berlin, Caligariplatz 1

Tribute to Tom Jobim and João Gilberto – The Invention of Bossa Nova

• Giovanna Piazza – vocals
• Carlos Corona – guitar
• Charlotte Joerges – sax
• Johannes von Ballestrem – piano
• Trigo Santana – bass
• Felix Astor – drums

The final concert brings this journey through the jazz scenes of Rio de Janeiro and Havana to a close right where Brazilian jazz enjoyed its greatest international success: with bossa nova.

Hardly any other music has shaped Brazil’s image worldwide as much as the compositions of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. Together with poets such as Vinicius de Moraes and singers such as Elizeth Cardoso, a new musical language emerged in the late 1950s that blended samba, jazz and modern harmony. The 1958 recording *Canção do Amor Demais* featuring Elizeth Cardoso, arranged by Tom Jobim and showcasing João Gilberto’s revolutionary guitar playing on two tracks, is regarded as the birth of bossa nova.

João Gilberto, who initially sought his fortune as a musician in Rio de Janeiro with little success, developed his unmistakable guitar rhythm during an extended stay in his native Bahia. With his soft, intimate vocals and characteristic accompaniment, he created a completely new sound. Tom Jobim, who studied under, amongst others, the composer Hans-Joachim Koellreutter – himself an emigrant from Germany – imbued this music with its sophisticated harmonies and transformed it into an international art form.

Just a few years later, bossa nova took New York (Carnegie Hall) and the world by storm. Together with musicians such as Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto and many others, it became one of the most successful fusions of Brazilian music and jazz.

To round off Hot Tropical Nights, outstanding Berlin-based musicians will pay tribute to this musical legacy and bring it into the present day with their own distinctive style.

Brazilian singer Giovanna Piazza and Mexican guitarist Carlos Corona have been performing as a duo for many years, devoting themselves passionately to bossa nova. Pianist Johannes von Ballestrem is one of the most distinguished connoisseurs of Brazilian music on the Berlin jazz scene. Together with Trigo Santana, Charlotte Joerges and Felix Astor, they will present a concert that bridges tradition and the present.

The final concert in the series will hopefully send the audience out into the cold Berlin winter with hearts warmed by tropical vibes.

Supported by the Jazz 2026 project funding scheme of the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.