Bossa Nova U.S.A. appearing for fifteen weeks on "Billboard"s album charts, achieving position #14. All tracks composed by Dave Brubeck; except where indicated 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
Bossa nova the rhythm has a "swaying" feel rather than the "swinging" feel of jazz. As bossa nova composer Carlos Lyra describes it in his song "Influência do Jazz", the samba rhythm moves "side to side" while jazz moves "front to back". Bossa nova was also influenced by the blues, but because the most famous bossa novas lack the 12-bar structure characteristic of classic blues, as well as the statement, repetition and rhyming resolution of lyrics typical of the genre, bossa nova's affinity with the blues often passes unnoticed. Aside from the guitar style, João Gilberto's other innovation was the projection of