Sergio Mendes RIP

[BenWaB3]

Sergio Mendes, Grammy-winning Brazilian music legend, dies at 83 : NPR

 

The link doesn't seem to be working. I particularly liked the Brasil `66 lineup.

[Cliffk]

An accomplished artist with an even more accomplished career. RIP Mr Mendes.

[Doerfler]

Huge fan of Brasil '66. 

 RIP

 

https://apnews.com/article/sergio-mendes-obituary-brazil-bossa-nova-4eccfe92f2868249c2d7975e666428ec

[Docbop]

My favorite was Sergio Mendes and Brazil 77  Primal Roots album, was as the title suggests more Brazilian roots and not as Poppish like his early work.    RIP and Thank you Sergio

 

 

[zxcvbnm098]

Indeed, thank you Sergio! 

 

I got to see him live summer of '22, and what a joyful concert it was! Fantastic band, and great performances by him. He talked in between songs about how they were recorded, and needless to say, when "Mas Que Nada" came up, the place absolutely erupted with the audience singing and dancing in the aisles. Wonderful performance full of love and good vibes.

 

That song was a huge part of my childhood. Inescapable in the mid to late 60's.....it was everywhere on radio and television. 

 

A life well lived for sure.....

[ElmerJFudd]

Oh I just saw this… 

 

too kool for skool! 

 

 

[Dave Ferris]

 

My first introduction to this great tune that I've played probably hundreds of times over the decades.

 

Along with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto, Joa Gilberto, and yes even Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, Sergio was an essential force in bringing Brazilian music and the Bossa Nova to US audiences, and the world, in the 60s.

 

Many of my friends have played in his band over the years and are giving beautiful testaments to him today. Rip.

[David R]

I need to fact-check this but I’m pretty sure Sergio was responsible for the influx of many other Brazilian musicians to the USA in the early 1970s (Hermeto, Airto, Flora Purim). He’s definitely responsible for opening North American ears to so many post-bossa songwriters, from Jorge Ben to Gilberto Gil, Hermeto Pascoal to Carlinhos Brown.

For a long time I was a snob towards his work, but then a DJ friend urged me to really listen (and of course he was right).

A classmate of mine from McGill was his second backup singer for the last 15 years, and she told me how sweet Sergio and Gracinha were in helping her learn the lyrics. He’s not directly an influence on what I do and my path through Brazilian music, but his collaborators (Jorge, Hermeto, Carlinhos) certainly are. It’s impossible to deny his legacy. Descanse em paz, Sergio. 

[Reezekeys]

There are many great examples of his work. In the USA, as far as the general public goes he had hits doing his arrangements of pop tunes, but in the 80s and 90s he did a series of records featuring Brazilian composers like Ivan Lins, Guinga, Hermeto, Carlinhos Brown, Djavan amd Jobim. His albums Oceano and Brasileiro come from that period and are personal favorites. RIP.

[drawback]

I was always a fan. I finally saw Brasíl ‘77 in the early 80s and still recall how joyful, powerful and positive the music and presentation was. Thank you and RIP. And thank you for bringing us Lani Hall.

 

 

 

[TommyS]

RIP  Sergio......a definite influence on my playing,,,,,how joyful and infectious Brazilian music is,,,, got to see him live here in LA,,,,,  fantastic night,,,,,,

[mrk7421]

I hate this !!!! I learned so much from Brazil '66....definitely recall hearing Mas Que Nada and really liking that they kicked the groove up a notch from the Ipanema days etc . Loved Lani Hall....it was so great that Herb Alpert gave us this. Such a neat intro to samba ....what a contribution.

[Dave Ferris]

 

"1962, my first time walking the streets of New York City with my dear friend and mentor maestro Antonio Carlos Jobim. Completely surreal... for a young kid from Niteroi to get this opportunity... This was the moment when the Bossa Nova craze began in America."

~ Sergio Mendes

[jarrell]

20 hours ago, Reezekeys said:

There are many great examples of his work. In the USA, as far as the general public goes he had hits doing his arrangements of pop tunes, but in the 80s and 90s he did a series of records featuring Brazilian composers like Ivan Lins, Guinga, Hermeto, Carlinhos Brown, Djavan amd Jobim. His albums Oceano and Brasileiro come from that period and are personal favorites. RIP.

 

Agreed; those are two great albums that feature these Brazilian composers with some great playing, vocals and arrangements. The story I heard on Pipoca (Hermit's tune on the Brasiliero album) was that Hermeto came to the studio with a nice ballad he had written, but Sergio said he already had enough slow tunes, and needed something up. So, Hermeto sat down and wrote out a composition on the spot - Pipoca. Could be apocryphal, but then again not out of character for Hermeto.

[Reezekeys]

Pipoca! I started transcribing that one. Great story about Hermeto writing it on the spot - but "enough slow tunes"? There's exactly ONE real ballad on Brasileiro - "Chorado." And that record has 14 tunes!

 

Let's not forget very early Sergio - the leader of the "Bossa Rio" sextet. I believe this is his first record (made  in 1961). I could be mistaken but I think this same band made records with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann a few years later. All this before the first "Brasil xx" series of records that popularised him widely. It's pretty obvious those guys were listening to a lot of jazz. I don't know who the trombone player in that band was, but imo he could have hung with any of the great jazz trombonists the USA produced.

 

[edit - Sebastião Neto]

 

 

[zephonic]

The melodies will linger on, RIP maestro

 

 

 

 

[defeofiuza]

19 hours ago, Reezekeys said:

Pipoca! I started transcribing that one. Great story about Hermeto writing it on the spot - but "enough slow tunes"? There's exactly ONE real ballad on Brasileiro - "Chorado." And that record has 14 tunes!

 

Let's not forget very early Sergio - the leader of the "Bossa Rio" sextet. I believe this is his first record (made  in 1961). I could be mistaken but I think this same band made records with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann a few years later. All this before the first "Brasil xx" series of records that popularised him widely. It's pretty obvious those guys were listening to a lot of jazz. I don't know who the trombone player in that band was, but imo he could have hung with any of the great jazz trombonists the USA produced.

 

[edit - Sebastião Neto]

 

 

The trombone player was Raul de Souza. He recorded a couple of albums in the US produced by George Duke. Sebastião Neto played bass. If you like Brazilian music, check Raul’s “À Vontade Mesmo” with the great Cesar Camargo Mariano.

 

Muito obrigado, Sérgio Mendes, rest in peace.

[Reezekeys]

3 hours ago, defeofiuza said:

The trombone player was Raul de Souza.

 

So much for trusting Chat GPT! Of course Sebastião Neto was the bass player in the Brasil xx groups. I actually new that at one point - and forgot.

 

However, according to allmusic, the trombonist's name I see listed at (for the Dance Moderno record at least), is Ed Maciel. Information on the exact personnel of the Bossa Rio Sextet seems a little hard to come by (or maybe I haven't looked hard enough!). Thanks for the correction.

 

[defeofiuza]

13 hours ago, Reezekeys said:

 

So much for trusting Chat GPT! Of course Sebastião Neto was the bass player in the Brasil xx groups. I actually new that at one point - and forgot.

 

However, according to allmusic, the trombonist's name I see listed at (for the Dance Moderno record at least), is Ed Maciel. Information on the exact personnel of the Bossa Rio Sextet seems a little hard to come by (or maybe I haven't looked hard enough!). Thanks for the correction.

 

I stand corrected, Maciel (who was born in my hometown of Belo Horizonte, Brasil😊) is the sole trombone player on “Dance Moderno”. Raul is on Sergio’s next album, “Você Ainda Não Ouviu Nada!”, along with Maciel.

[Reezekeys]

5 hours ago, defeofiuza said:

Sergio’s next album, “Você Ainda Não Ouviu Nada!”,

 

Thanks for that, of course I went to u-tube and found the entire record. This is a good one - the two bones are really happening! That's some cool arranging. I find it interesting Sergio did versions of jazz songs on his first record (Love For Sale, Nica's Dream, What Is This Thing Called Love, Green Dolphin Street) but kept it all-Braz for this second one.

[kpl1228]

Recently saw the terrific Herb Alpert doc and the bands that A&M pulled in during their early days were spotlighted, including a generous helping of Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66. Interviewed Mendes and he talked about how Lani ended up with Herb, and how Sergio was resigned to it, basically saying that it was love and he was powerless. Possibly the most Brazilian answer ever. RIP

[Outkaster]

Oh, wow I hadn't heard. 

[Bill H.]

It's probably just a coincidence, but currently there's a Volkswagen commercial featuring a snippet of Magalenha from his album Brasileiro:

 

 

RIP Sergio