Bossa Nova U.S.A. Bossa Nova U.S.A. Since 1955, Brubeck had composed and performed pieces originating from influences outside of the European musical tradition, in which this album, released during the bossa nova craze in the United States of the late 1950s and early 1960s, can be best categorized. It is intended to be "impressionistic" of "the cool wave from Brazil." Recorded through most of 1962, and released early in 1963, the album was designed to be effective on the pop charts. All tracks were recorded in New York City. Five tracks were recorded on the third of January, 1962 in a session dedicated
Bossa nova pattern sounds very similar to the two-three or three-two son clave of Cuban styles such as mambo but is dissimilar in that the "two" side of the clave is pushed by an eighth note. Also important in the percussion section for bossa nova is the cabasa, which plays a steady sixteenth-note pattern. These parts are easily adaptable to the drum set, which makes bossa nova a rather popular Brazilian style for drummers. Certain other instrumentations and vocals are also part of the structure of bossa nova: Bossa nova has at its core a rhythm based on samba. Samba combines the