João Gilberto has died. On Saturday it was announced that the Brazilian musician, who was sometimes referred to as "The Father of Bossa Nova," had passed away in Rio de Janeiro at 88 years old. His legacy as an icon of Brazilian music can't be overstated. This dude was the shit.

Beginning in the late '50s with his 1959 album Chega de Saudade, Gilberto was instrumental in the explosion of bossa nova, a genre which combined smooth jazz with a Brazilian samba twang. Bossa nova was known for its complex rhythms and harmonies and its emotionally intimate lyrics, becoming a sensation in the United States in the '60s with songs like "The Girl from Ipanema" and "Bim Bom."

I first heard "Desafinado" on Getz/Gilberto, Gilberto's collaborative album with American saxophonist Stan Getz, after finding the record while rummaging through the CD bins at the public library as a teen. The vibrant, warm color of the album art—painted by Puerto Rican artist Olga Albizu—seemed to hum with both feeling and desire.

"Desafinado," which roughly translates to "Out of Tune," was composed by another bossa nova titan Antônio Carlos Jobim and written by Newton Mendonça, in response to critics who said that the genre was for singers who can't sing (did they meet my mom?).

The song as sung by Gilberto above has this sort of light, sexy somberness to it. Maybe it's the sounds of the language to the ear of someone who doesn't speak Portuguese (the soft "ows," the strange "eejee"s) or how his guitar strumming seems like it's being played by many.

Gilberto's posture holds a kind of sadness, his eyes cast down in concentration, in feeling. I don't want him to look up. I also love the aesthetics of him being in a suit on the big empty stage when the music—its breeziness—immediately brings forth the beach and bare feet.

Though a recluse in later years, Gilberto's artistry will be remembered (for as long as I'm alive, anyway). Descansa em paz, O Mito.

BONUS: I put Getz and Gilberto's interpretation of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "O Grande Amor" on a playlist for someone I had sex with and liked a lot. I never heard back from him about it, though.