Orfeu Negro, bossa nova and me

I was probably too young to understand what was happening.
My mom took me to see the 1958 classic film "Black Orpheus" when I was a kid, and the haunting, strange beauty of the Brazilian Oscar winner continues to resonate. It still kind of freaks me out.
Of course, I don't remember much about the film -- basically the Orpheus-Eurydice legend set at Carnaval time in the Rio slums. I remember the feel of the film, though, as well as its exotic sounds.
Similar sounds spilled out of our stereo speakers just now.
The girls slept late, so there would be no spastic squeals of Spongebob Squarepants swamping the living room -- not this morning.
Instead, Jill and I enjoyed hearing "Jazz Samba" by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd. This 1962 classic helped usher in the bossa nova fad, and songs such as "Desafinado," Samba de Uma Nota So" and "E Luxo So" exemplify the joyful and melancholic, simple and complicated, and strange and familiar aspects of this beautiful music.
Listening to this album this morning, I returned to my contradictory (and admittedly fuzzy) memories of "Black Orpheus."
I am so glad the girls slept in late.
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