Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd on the Perry Como Show

"That's the South American...stuff!" So begins Perry Como's introduction to the bossa nova performance that would follow. While "stuff" obviously wasn't the word he was searching for, he can be forgiven for his inability to pluck a more descriptive word from the ether since bossa nova was new to North American shores in 1962 when this performance took place.
As American purveyors of this new sound, saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Charlie Byrd teamed up to make the 1962 "Jazz Samba" LP, which is regarded as the first exposure most Americans had to the bossa nova sound. In this video, the band performs one of the tunes from the Jazz Samba LP - Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Desafinado," followed by some fooling around when Perry Como joins in.

[@gintgotham]

Real pros! Perry, Getz, and Byrd! Don't we wish we had this kind of television today!

[@bobblues1158]

For Real! But real musicians cost money. It is cheaper to sell amateur shows for the networks.

[@MontyRaddimus]

Mezzo TV

[@123must]

Getz was the perfection on tenor sax !

[@loumcconnell503]

And an asshole in real life !

[@SuperCarver2011]

Charlie and Stan were a great musical discovery in the late 60s.Both Stan's ad lib sax and Charlie's playing style were unique and distinguishable from anyone else of that era.

[@MauriatOttolink]

SuperCarver2011 Very true ...in fact any era. What's the best we got now? huh!

[@jazsax8634]

Getz, what a humongous sound, a massive wall of thick ass tone! Oh to have that sound. 🙏

[@kb1996]

Love it!! So cool!! What great musicians...1962...wonderful!!

[@steinmetzzz]

They broke the mold after these two guys were made. Best ever!!!

[@pianopappy]

What a treat to see this again after 52+ years; although, I've heard it many times over. The night it aired, I recorded the audio on a reel-to-reel tape recorder; and, it became a prized recording, including the guys' banter and collaboration with Perry Como. (How about the way Stan takes out "It Happened in Monterey".) The program ("Kraft Music Hall") aired, according to the notes in my tape box, on October 17, 1962--and it was live.

[@ramistucky9104]

pianopappy do you have that original recording somewhere? Or perhaps know where to find it? I want to know what Como is clapping. In no way does it sound like a clave, Brazilian or Cuban. It’s hard to tell exactly because the KZbin video starts somewhat abruptly. I’m doing a research project on American understandings of bossa. So any help would be appreciated.

[@Dtruthseek]

What Getz does on the bridge, the bars before it modulates up to C major, is real artistry. This guy composed some great melodies as he improvised. And his sound I don't think has ever been equaled, though guys played in different styles. Dexter Gordon also had a great sound. But Getz, wow. Stan, there'll never be another you. Como fits pretty comfortably into the mix. Great singer.

[@pianopappy]

Sorry, I can't help. I still have my tape; but, my off-the-air recording was audio only--way before home video recorders were available--and I started recording right where this posting of the kinescope recording begins. If you're asking what Como is clapping at the beginning of the clip, it looks to me like he's merely clapping his hands. Perhaps you can tell me what he is playing later when he sang with the group.

[@nicolaselisabeth7897]

Stan getz bossa nova magique magnifique ❤ Perry Como super merci

[@rayopezzo4052]

Perry Como always kept his Penn barber's license active for his lifetime according to accounts I've read. Felt he always had a career alternative to singing. Genuine class and his warmth comes across on TV as well as in person. R.I.P. Perry.

[@IanBoyterJazzsax]

What a masterly performance from all in this clip. Stan Getz is red hot and so is Charlie Byrd. They were having a really good night. This is even better than the studio recorded version.

[@deep6thisdeep6this92]

wow! what times those were! como had 'em all on his show. ...all the best musicians.

[@charlesbarry6730]

These two men were the names associated with bossa nova. The combination worked well. Sadly , they have left us. RIP.

[@MilesBellas]

This is epic. Stan = fluid and virtuosic Musical history! Rare...... very few films of them playing together remain........

[@SpeegBJ]

Exquisite footage, Como in the mix..so smooth himself.

[@chuckreddmusic]

I loved Charlie and I miss him. Stan is brilliant as always. Thank you.

[@CosasdeDios1089]

I heard this the first time when I was 12. I was instantly mesmerized. I heard it dozens of t7mes ans the LP got damaged. Many years later i found a CD. Listened to ituntil it got damaged 😂. These days, I am realizing a dream, learning bossa in a guitar i recently bought. I'll invest my last years doing my best to play bossa nova and this record is in my heart forever

[@nanto88]

ahh such a golden age of music

[@lauraoliver1380]

I love this clip AND this song!

[@b.bailey8244]

this video clip is golden! thanks!

[@promerops]

Just a few notes and you know it's the great Charlie Byrd - a unique style. Stan Getz is similarly distinctive - beautiful tone - always. Incidentally, why does GW Bush always put me in mind of Perry Como?

[@mashtones]

The album Jazz Samba was recorded in a hall at All Saints church in Washington D.C.. Done mostly in single takes with no formal rehearsal Getz's improvised solos created the template for how much of the Bossa Nova that followed would sound. Byrd and Getz never played together again after this TV show.

[@johnbartholomew4831]

Never again played together? How curious. They meld so well here.

[@retrorex]

John Bartholomew They weren't friends, that's for sure, but bitter enemies. There were legal (and ego) battles between the two over the Jazz Samba album. Google it to check out the details. I'm surprised, given the bad blood between these two, that they even played this TV show! They DO has musical chemistry together, though.

[@MauriatOttolink]

retrorex Amazing ..I'd no idea.. Busted my life-times dream's about them.

[@loumcconnell503]

@@MauriatOttolink Stan tryed to stiff Charlie for his fee ! It took court action by Charlie to get his money ; Getz at this time was just an asshole ,

[@MauriatOttolink]

@@loumcconnell503 Hello Lou..... That was not the worst of Stan's actions. And he knew it in later in life. According to one anecdote, when he learned that his life was limited by the cancer, the story goes that he said to a friend "Guess I'd better call around all the people I've upset and apologise. The reply was "Well don't use a Pay phone!" Of course we don't know how much truth there is in these tales. His artistry as just bewitching. Coltrane said of him "Well, we'd all play like that if we could!

[@BGetz2011]

What a fun clip!! Thanks for posting!

[@xavierhamel3169]

Merveilleux ....... des musiciens exceptionnels qui auront marques l'histoire de la bossa et de la musique

[@pccbassbone]

You tripped me out with Bill Reichenbach. I took bass trombone lessons from his son at Cal State, Long Beach.

[@jasondavidjian403]

awesome. Live music with the utmost musicianship. People forget how great live recordings are compared the processing music goes through now in most popular situations.

[@retrorex]

Stan Getz sounds much, MUCH better in his solo here on "One Note Samba" than he did on the Jazz Samba album. This version is vastly superior, as Stan sounds much more relaxed and swinging! BTW, Perry had Luis Bonfa, a much better guitarist than Charlie Byrd, on his show a week or two prior to this one. Thanks for posting this!

[@cesarsaldanha]

Fantastico, parabens pelo video.

[@barrygouthro6315]

❤❤❤❤❤. Thank you 😊

[@JosephSimsPHS1950]

DC disc jockey Felix Grant introduced Charlei Byrd to Brazil's Bossa Nova; Charlie introduced Stan to the same stuff and the rest is history. I had the great pleasure of watching Charlie at the Showboat, a few blocks from my DC apartment. Later I met the Brazilian bombshell who imported me to Brazil and became my wife.

[@pianopappy]

I well-remember Felix Grant and his hip show on WMAL. I also got to see Charlie at the Showboat Lounge one night. (I think he owned a piece of the place.) However, my best remembrance of the Showboat was the night (in 1960, I believe) that Mose Allison played there. And I think the outstanding bassist and drummer he played with were local DC guys.

[@ckvaldiviagt]

Old favorite!

[@theantiantihero]

I absolutely love this stuff. Thanks!

[@johnbartholomew4831]

retrorex , that is new information to me. Thanks much for sharing.

[@gannonb4u]

Another favorite duet is Jim Hall and Paul Desmond

[@alejandra6048]

Simplemente expectacular, me llena el espiritu,uff

[@tablacy]

Thanks for answering one of my questions about the identity of the other musicians. Guess I got it wrong when I figured the bassist was Keter Betts. That’s one down, two to go!

[@getzfan1]

Love it! Thanks for posting!

[@123must]

Thanks a lot !

[@markchergosky8659]

I would have liked to hear Stan solo over the changes!

[@MauriatOttolink]

Mark Chergosky Agreed...Mark, He doesn't here or on the CD version (They were LPs in those days.) In this neither did Byrd. Don't think that he left the chord at all despite a magnificent solo. It's a technique I can't understand. Mind you Getz plays the head and also inserts genius chord-change figures at the same time! In Brubeck's Take Five, Paul Desmond does exactly the same. No changes in an utterly masterful solo. It happens a lot and it baffles me why. Can't argue with the Giants, I guess!!

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

It's the other way round. Bossa is not American east coast jazz. The guitar, not the saxophone, plays changes below the melody that rules the song.

[@wayneandrus240]

Getz has a great tenor sound.

[@georgegrunditz]

1:57 Yup, I'm adding that line to my arsenal.

[@alexandrecaxito9101]

...lendário...maravilhoso...

[@theHellzaPoppinjazz4u]

great. thank you Istash ;)

[@ohiozetapdt]

wow a moment in history and that forgot to mention Antonio Carlos Jobim and Christopher Columbus.

[@TheCaterham6]

I must say..this is "Cool"........! I have a Selmer Tenor/Alto..5yrs now....nearly there!....?

[@MauriatOttolink]

TheCaterham6 Wish you good luck..You'll need it.. I've played Pro and Semi pro for 57 years..Still busy.. Not a hope in hell of matching Getz. Nearest I got was an adult student of mine was asked "Do you listen to Stan Getz?" He answered "No but my teacher does!" I must have passed on SOMETHING!

[@sallemjazz1]

some classy stuff!!!!!

[@PolMrPol]

Wat moois vooral voor de liefhebbers is dat uniek thanks.

[@jasondavidjian403]

I do think Byrd is superb as well and it as good Bonfa in his own style, though I prefer Bonfa just in taste

[@djrobbio7895]

That bossa nova take on a Sinatra standard was absolutely phenomenal. Wishing it was actually a single or recorded for an album...

[@stevestegman8181]

Actually, Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz had the first US version of the Jobim hit on 1962. Sinatra didn’t do his Jobim album until @1967-‘69.

[@ברוךברשלו]

2 genies

[@lorenzomagazzeni5425]

Every body in Italy - back then - loved Perry Como, not because he was a paisa' Lovely person.

[@eadler5929]

Nice to know

[@NORTH02]

culture is obviously devolving

[@Parananza]

OMG! Seems yesterday. In 1930's i lived in Brooklin. At that time, me and my friends, we usually spend the nights at the famous Dinky Donky Skbadaboob Da Boob Dabidubidi Dubidi Da Da Da Dinah's palace. Better know as DDSDBDDDDD, or for the real intimate customers, only Dinki. A hidden cubbyhole on the 56Th avenue. Famous artists usually performed there, people like Armostrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Korn, Iron Maiden, Etta James, Eminem, The Beatles, N.W.A., Bad Bunny, Travis Scott and many others. That's used to be the best place where we secretly drank whiskey. You know what i mean? Prohibition and stuff. Forget about it, we usually sayin' as Italians Immigrants. What a wonderful time of my life!

[@TheodorusRex]

Damn, son! Wow... Amazing! atlantic beach 4.20.2018

[@postatility9703]

Perry Como sounds strangely like Ed Sullivan, but without the mistakes❤

[@peterfogarty4969]

what a story!!!

[@barrygouthro6315]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@camilofloresaguila207]

what song is the one of the minute 7:44? Help me pls

[@tablacy]

Does anyone happen to know the identity of the musicians playing bass, drums and second guitar in this clip? I figure it's likely Keter Betts on bass and either Bill Reichenbach (Sr.) or Buddy Deppenschmidt on drums, but I'm clueless about the second guitarist. Perhaps it was Charlie's brother Gene/Joe? Or Charlie's friend Herb Ellis?

[@josephhsu9060]

Great jaza, bossa nova's original.

[@marcomio]

Desafinado?

[@RobKandell]

marcomio - It didn’t sound slightly out of tune to me. :-)

[@johncowhig841]

@@RobKandell Jobim wrote it after a newspaper critic in Brazil said he wrote music that was " Out of tune." So he named the new tune " Out of tune" Desifinado.

[@RobKandell]

John Cowhig - I knew it was a response to critics, mostly due to his love of Chopin’s quirky, chromatic tone leading, but I didn’t know the specifics of the story. Thanks for sharing it.

[@swingmanic]

Charlie Byrd had a grievance with Stan Getz over not getting a share of the Grammy award for "Desafinado" and he filed a law suit against MGM/Verve for monies due on the "Jazz Samba" album...Byrd claimed that as he was billed as co-leader on the album, he was entitled to a portion of the royalties!...It was settled out of court in August 1967 with Byrd getting $50,000 plus a portion of future royalties.

[@garyiampaglia9030]

Vintage Getz!!!

[@JarvisRose]

Perry Como was really a hip cat.

[@8aDe7]

what a big hand !

[@bobdimarzio3972]

hey Joe , have you got an old tube hi fi with altecs or ev's to spin those great discs like jazz samba on ?

[@kiskasolnychka7374]

Please, what's name of this track? Thank.

[@ploppill34]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@garyrey129]

one of the most famous bossa nova tunes that didnt feature a Brazilian

[@kopacz9297]

Anyone know if there is a transcription for this?

[@clarinetssaxesandflutesohmy]

"Bossa Nova Freilach" is hilarious! Anyone know who the bass and drummer are?

[@mrrickygee.]

it's a shame the announcer didn't say their names

[@clarinetssaxesandflutesohmy]

I agree. Maybe they're on album, now that I think about it. I'll look to see if I have it.

[@gvxrlole1264]

Elsewhere in the comments someone claimed that their dad, Tommy Williams, is the bassist. And another comment suggests that the drummer is either Bill Reichenbach (Sr.) or Buddy Deppenschmidt.

[@clarinetssaxesandflutesohmy]

gvxrlole thank you!

[@justhearmeout1]

bass tommy williams... proud to say my late father.

[@ellenangell2079]

show...espetacular...BOSSA NOVA...gostinho de ser Brasil.

[@petterilindholm4994]

Charlie Byrd's sense of time is hillbilly in Desafinado (the first tune they play). Stan Getz on his part is groovin to a mellow bossa nova feel and immediately when the bass player begins his short solo after Byrd's, the rhythmic feel goes back to the funky bossa/jazz feel. Charlie Byrd obviously has his chops and is a great guitar player, but he can't really handle Bossa Nova.

[@MarkBlackburnWPG]

That's an astute observation. A perfectly fair criticism that Charlie Byrd's sense of time is "hillbilly" and that while he can play well "has the chops and is a great guitar player, he really can't handle Bossa Nova. If you took away the drums track he might as well be playing in straight 4/4. Thanks for the insight, Petteri Lindholm.

[@arip9234]

Haha yea because you can do it better. Right

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

That is because the album was advertised as "Samba Jazz", not "Samba". There is a difference. Jazz is not Samba. In Stan's album with Charlie Byrd, the sound has more hints of classic North American jazz flavour thanks to Byrd. But in Stan'z album with Bonfa, "Jazz Samba Encore", the feel is different, and is farther removed from the North American jazz.

[@gabrielituarte]

Ritmo!

[@bebobalula]

Does anyone know, who the drummer is?

[@brendancorr5160]

perry had a watm sense of humour

[@johnbartholomew4831]

That's the truth. He had a certain non-egotistical character that made him appealing to some of us, at least. Low key and likeable.

[@JiveDadson]

+John Bartholomew Perry Como became a barber at age 10 when he had to stand on a box to cut hair. (Reminds me of working in my Dad's filling station at the same age. I had to climb onto a box to wash windshields.) By thirteen he had his own barber shop. He and his brothers had to support his family. After he became famous, he declined interviews.

[@retrorex]

Your last sentence is not true. There are many interviews with Perry after he became famous, among them two consecutive issues of Down Beat (1957), three consecutive issues of Saturday Evening Post (1960), Collier's magazine (1956), two issues of Look (1958), several interviews in the National Enquirer(!) during the 70s, liner notes by Benny Green to The Best of the British (1977) and many more. Don't know where you got your information from regarding interviews.

[@CarlosFabio-f4f]

The discovery of Bossa Nova give Stan a new chance ... the white horse almot destroyed his musical career and life ... A very sensitive musician and human being ...

[@smythed.8512]

who's in the band.

[@lukasalihein]

Yeah, sort of, but Getz had way more technical chops and versatility to go with it.

[@saulduff493]

Does anyone else think Stan sounds a hell of a lot like Paul Desmond on tenor?

[@smythed.8512]

other way around.

[@mikkibaker6907]

Except that Paul Desmond played the alto sax.

[@lucianosery56]

best*

[@SickChikin535]

can someone tell me what type of tenor stan getz used?

[@brickboo1]

+Sick Chickin There's only one type of tenor. Are you asking what brand? Selmer, Buecher, King, Martin Conn etc. Of course they each made student horns intermittent and professional too. Stan Played a Selmer Mark VI I think.

[@SickChikin535]

+Boo Hargis oh okay, thanks

[@hippydjkit9913]

This silly Perry Como destroyed all the magic with his shoe-shine brushes............

[@jiyujizai]

🤝☝️😀🍑

[@bobdimarzio3972]

no

[@FrankySnot]

Leave it to a super talented Ukrainian Jew to teach the Latinos how to play the Bossa Nova the right way.

[@TheForrbidenFruit]

Wow, really?

[@BuckshotLaFunke1]

***** Yes, his real surname was Gayetzky.

[@ddarkshark]

I am thankful that I don't live in your mind. it must suck.

[@sapereaude3748]

Indeed....then again, is there anything Jewish guys can't do in the arts and sciences? A very admirable people.

[@caifancabr0n699]

Lul aut

[@gregd6022]

Sorry to say but Stan didn't get Bossa and kinda ruins it .. as basically all the Americans did.. vs Brasilians.. the best way to think of it they're playing the way they'd dance..

[@stephenhathaway269]

Pity about the cringeworthy presenter