Many of the compositions are the Jobim standards, but the early recordings, some dating from 1959 (contemporary with Joao Gilberto's first albums), show clearly their influence from the pre-rock North American popular music of the day, in their familiar orchestration and 'crooner' feel.
'The Story of Bossa Nova', while including a few more recent additions, concentrates on the original recordings by the first generation of singers and performers who first turned the now-classics into hits and paved the way for worldwide popularity.
A bossa nova compilation without a single track by Joao Gilberto? Of course that's not necessarily a bad thing, and it underscores the interesting selection of lesser-heard recordings in this collection.