Bossa Nova

About Bossa Nova

Bossa nova is a Brazilian style that emerged in the late 1950s from the fusion of samba and cool jazz. Its rhythmic feel centres on a syncopated pattern derived from the 2-3 clave: three notes in the first half, two in the second, or vice versa. The guitar strums the clave while the bass plays a more fluid, melodic line. The feel is gentle and flowing but rhythmically sophisticated — the syncopations are subtle.

How to identify it

• 1Listen for the guitar syncopation — the chord lands slightly before beats 2 and 4
• 2The bass walks more melodically than in samba — less driving, more flowing
• 3Slower and smoother than samba; more relaxed
• 4The 'and' of beat 2 is often the give-away syncopation point

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Famous examples

Often confused with