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RL Foward for Jobim Book, due to be published in the US late Summer 2011.

Anyone who loves music, particularly great songs, probably remembers the moment he first listened to "The Girl From Ipanema" or "Desafinado". For me it was something like the summer of 1962. As a teenager, and fledgling musician, I was in orbit around the music of Motown, The Beatles and Chicago radio Jazz DJ Sid McCoy.

Then I heard the composer Jobim, and I found a part of myself. The mysteries of the long shaped melodies, and the complex harmonic structures completely resonated in me. Pretty much everything I ever composed, or enjoyed listening to ever since had some root in that moment of discovery.

Years passed and I made my mark as a musician, and for perhaps emotional and spiritual reasons, in the early '90's, I began listening again to ALL of Jobim's body of work. Only now I was much more equipped to recognize qualities that I could not grasp when I was a kid.

I also embarked on casual explorations of all Brazilian Music from the 1950's forward. This included reading as much as I could find, in English, about Jobim's development, his history, his life.

There was puzzlingly little about the man himself, his personal challenges, demons, triumphs. What was he thinking about? Obviously, we'll never know.

Then came my discovery, on the internet, of Antonio Carlos Jobim: Um Homem Iluminado, by Helena Jobim. (Available in Portuguese, and perhaps, Japanese, but not English).

What precious nuggets of insight lay frustratingly out of my ignorant reach?

In my reading internet articles, I had come across the learned and entertaining writing of Professor Dario Borim, who shared a love of music and particularly Jobim, with me. I took a chance and wrote to him, and thus began a labor of love to bring the charming memoir to a huge population of English reading music lovers. Mr. Borim took time from his busy activities as a teacher, writer, Radio personality and took on the translation. I am forever grateful to him.

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Comment by Diane M Jones on April 2, 2011 at 2:45pm: Hello RL...great article...u have experienced some great eras of music...and it definitely shows in your beautiful

repertoire of music and compositions ..Robert u should be very proud of your accomplishments.. we get to enjoy all the hard work u did:):)and r still doing...this is great keep going don't stop..our ears love it:)...Look forward

to the book on Jobim..glad u wrote to Professor Borim..it is wonderful that u discovered how the Brazilian music touched your heart and soul...I love listening to "The Bossa Project"...have fun at the convention, willl

miss it this year..have enjoyed attending the past 5 yrs..u guys make it special 4 your fans...excited to see Chicago at Mystic Lake Casino May 13th..see u then

Comment by roseanna on March 30, 2011 at 12:32pm: Hey Robert, I was just thinking sometime I'd love to read your thoughts on one of your favorite artist records and why it's in your top ten:) thanks for taking the time to share these great events in your life

Comment by roseanna on March 30, 2011 at 12:18pm: Really enjoyed this Robert cause I knew you had liked art in high school but I always wanted to know more about who your own personal influences are and how they impacted you in different times of your life. Believe it or not by me just taking Zumba exercise classes this year, I've been exposed to all kinds of latin music from all over and who would have thought I would be loving all these different types of music, it's great to experience that! great stuff here, thank you. roseanna

Comment by Juan Yniguez on March 30, 2011 at 3:13am: Robert, My early love for Jobim led me to explore other Brazilian music in the 70s. As an armchair guitarist I came to love the music of Luiz Bonfa, especially his more traditional and rhythmic music (e.g., Xango). I also became a huge fan of Baden Powell (Por Causa de Voce, a great version of Shadow of Your Smile, Fom da Linha, Valsa Sem Nome, etc.) He had a more of a classical approach, very solid technique, but also could reference the more traditional rhythmic stuff (O Astronauta.) My all time favorite: Das Rosas. To this day it can still make me cry. If you have had a chance to listen/study these two Brazilian giants, I'd really appreciate your perspective... Of course, if you can get to it! P.S. Really went nuts over Subtlety and Passion. What a gem! Accessible, cool, and sophisticated all at the same time. Thank you!!!

Comment by Robin on March 15, 2011 at 11:12pm: Hi Robert,

I really enjoyed your story. Professor Borim seems like one really great person to take the time to do that. Its always interesting to learn about the musicians and their music and how the songs were actually written and what the concept was behind each song, especially your favorite songs they have written. Thank you for sharing this as well as many other stories with all of us.

Robin

Comment by janine on March 14, 2011 at 4:54pm: Wow, this hits close to my musical home. I also rediscovered music in the early '90's that I listened to, but could not grasp when I was a kid. However, the gems I was listening to were penned by Mr. Lamm. I wasn't equipped to truly appreciate or understand a song like "Questions" or "Someday" when I was a child, but my grown up ears were able to hear all sorts of beautiful and thought provoking things my juvenile ears could not. I continue to rediscover and reinterpret music by one of my favorite songwriters....decades down the rediscovery road.

Comment by Charis on March 13, 2011 at 5:42pm: Thanks for the post, Mr. Lamm. Good to know you like bossa nova :). I myself grew up listening to it a lot, since my father was a huge fan of Tom Jobim's. His favorite Jobim song is "Corcovado" ("Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars). I love your bossa CD. I think it's a worthwhile endeavor. Love both the music and the lyrics of "The Possibility of Life".

Comment by Karen Artis on March 13, 2011 at 2:00pm: I appreciate the post, Robert. I haven't listened to Jobim in a while and I've truly enjoyed weaving through youtube this morning listening to him. Thanks for the nudge. I always love listening to Bossa. Your Bossa Project CD is a favorite of mine and always seems to lift my mood!

All the best,

KA

Comment by Jim Swanson on March 13, 2011 at 10:17am: I'll be looking for that translation. Available at internet outlets, Robert?

Also, I remember the first time I heard Jobim with Astrid Gilberto. She almost whispered right into your ear when she sang and that made it extremely sensual (not in a sexual sense). Jobim's music has always been good for the lightening of spirit. Excellent! Thanks for this post. - Jimmy

Comment by Sandra Perkins on March 13, 2011 at 7:39am: Wow! Let Prof. Borim know that many others will join you in being grateful for the translation. Looking forward to this! Thanks for sharing!