In 1998, João Gilberto, one of the fathers of the Bossa Nova revival and an expert in Samba, was living a relatively reclusive life in Rio De Janeiro, but that April the ‘Serviço Social do Comércio’ (the Social Service of Commerce) coaxed him into playing three solo concerts in its new theatre at the Villa Mariano in São Paulo.

For years the tapes of the final triumphant evening had been presumed lost, but after a long search, João Zilio, the studio manager, finally unearthed the original master. This has now been lovingly remastered and perfectly captures this beautiful concert by a master of the genre.

Despite being in a big 650-seat venue, this is an intimate event, the audience hanging on every word and every note, and despite the occasional cough or fidget, the connection between artist and listeners is palpable.

It’s not modesty that means there’s only one Gilberto original here (a beautifully played solo guitar version of ‘Um Embraço No Bonfá’), but his total immersion in the repertoire. Yes, there are the old favourites, including Jobim’s ‘Corcovado’, ‘Wave’, and ‘Desafinado’, and a pensive ‘Chega De Saudade’, complete with audience singalong, but he takes us into the highways and byways of the music. His favourite writers are here, including Dorival Caymmi (a gently swinging ‘Lá Vem a Baiana’ in particular) and Amy Barosso.

But it’s the pieces everyone knows that resonate the most – and he seems to be accompanied by an invisible band on a truly memorable version of the old warhorse ‘One Note Samba’. To hold an audience mesmerised for two hours is no mean achievement – to do so note-and-word perfect with no accompanying players is little short of genius.