The title here is an ironic one. Hard Bossa is not "hard" at all. In fact, it is a low-key, gentle affair that has elements of breezy MPB, some Alcione-style samba, and some dreamy and jazzy bossa, and it flows from top to bottom. Joyce's softness and bounciness are everywhere present, and her guitar playing is as sharp as ever. Backed by a band that includes Tutty Moreno on drums and percussion, Lula Galvao on guitars, and upright bassist Jorge Helder, Joyce also employs the wonderful Ana Martins (who comes off sounding like a young Elis Regina) to sing lead on "Todos Os Santos," and vocalist Paulo César Pinheiro (who is her writing partner on most of these tracks), who sings lead on "Nome de Guerra." Joyce wrote or co-wrote everything on the set, and the romantic "Crianca," the shimmering "Juparana," the scattish title track, and the nostalgic "London Samba" are standouts…

Joyce Moreno (who long performed simply as Joyce) is a globally renowned singer, composer, arranger, and guitarist from Brazil. Declared "one of the greatest singers" by Antônio Carlos Jobim, her sound is at once sophisticated and welcoming, cutting across samba and bossa nova to MPB, jazz, and Brazilian folk forms. In 1967, her song "Me Disseram" caused a national controversy: It was the first composition by a Brazilian woman written from the viewpoint of the first-person feminine gender. Her recording career has resulted in more than 35 albums and 400 original songs, many of which have been recorded by some of the world's greatest singers and musicians. 1980's Feminina is widely considered a classic for its joyous celebration of the feminine experience, while future award winners Água e Luz and Tardes Cariocas underscored that approach.