Antonio Carlos Jobim's The Composer of Desafinado, Plays Reissued for the Verve Vault Series. Newly Mastered from the Original Analog Tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and Pressed at Optimal in Germany.

The Composer of Desafinado, Plays, released in 1963 on Verve Records, marked the U.S. debut of Brazilian songwriter and pianist Antonio Carlos Jobim as a bandleader and documents the beginning of what would become a long-term creative relationship between Jobim and arranger Claus Ogerman that helped define the international sound of bossa nova.

Recorded in New York in 1962 and produced by Creed Taylor, the 12-song instrumental set pairs Jobim’s understated guitar and piano work with Ogerman’s lush orchestral arrangements, backed by a mostly American studio ensemble with select Brazilian contributors. With its soft textures, streamlined rhythms, and harmonic richness, the record emphasizes the poised intimacy that became a hallmark of Jobim’s songwriting — cementing his role as both architect and ambassador of the bossa nova movement.

The Verve Vault Series is an audiophile vinyl reissue series highlighting iconic jazz albums as well as overlooked gems from Verve’s vast catalog. The series presents definitive, all-analog 180-gram vinyl pressings newly-mastered from the original analog master tapes by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed at Optimal in Germany.