This book is the first of a series that intends to encompass the full works of Antonio Carlos Jobim. With an excellent graphic quality, the book contains scores for 42 of Jobim's songs - lyrics included. There is also a detailed biographic text in both English and Portuguese, and a surprising number of photos and reproductions of pages handwritten by Jobim himself and some of his partners.

The music scores are transcriptions for piano, a few of them back from the sixties, prepared by Eumir Deodato, Claus Ogerman, Tom Jobim, and Paulo Jobim. The transcriptions by Deodato and Ogerman are richer in detail and stay closer to the sophistication and uniqueness of Jobim's piano playing. Those made by Jobim himself are outstanding in historic importance and present the composer's view, without further interferences. The arrangements by Paulo Jobim are likely to please mostly beginners and music students. They include chord changes and are easier to play. On the other hand, they lack somehow the richness of detail and the elegance of Jobim's touch.

Most of the scores reached the final print quality through the collaboration of a small team of pianists skilled in the operation of the music writing software 'Finale'.

During the search in the family archives to obtain a complete song listing, a few lost or unknown titles have come up. Take a look at the sheet music for "Brigas", by Jobim and Newton Mendonça - authors of such hits as "Desafinado"(Off Key) and "One note samba".

The book is highly recommended to all those who admire Jobim's work, be them musicians or not.

Released on December, 2000. Published by Jobim Music and Casa da Palavra Publishing Co.