SÉRGIO MENDES — Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (review)

SÉRGIO MENDES — Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 album cover

Album · 1966 · Bossa Nova

5/5 · 2011-02-16
Matt

Sergio Mendes who hails from Brazil was a classically trained pianist but jazz got him and with his music primarily being a mix of Bossa Nova and Samba from his home country he went on to create some of the most unforgettable music from the 1960,s. Sergio had been around a bit before he finally recorded "Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66" which went platinum and made him one of the most famous musicians till this day to come from Brazil. The previous two albums he recorded were with "Brasil 65" and they went nowhere. Sergio replaced "Wanda da Sa" from Brazil on vocals with "Lani Hall" from Chicago before he signed to "Herb Alpert's" A & M records and recorded the album with a mixture of songwriters for the tunes."Jorge Ben","Antonio Carlos Jobim","Baden Powell","Joao Mello" and all Brazillian but also "Lennon McCartney","Mancini" with covers of a Pop and a Theatre tune as well, being "Going Out of My Head" and "The Joker". The band is a real mix with "Lani Hall' and "Janis Hansen" providing vocals, Sergio is keyboards,vocals as well as doing all the arrangements,"Bob Matthews" is bass, vocals,"Jose Soares", percussion and vocals,"Joao Plama" is doing drums and there is an unknown contrubution on trombone for the song "Agua de Beber".

The first one "Mas Que Nada" was the hit from the album which was written by "Jorge Ben" in 1963 and is given that "Mendes" Bossa treatment with the vocals being a mixture of both male and female for the backing with Lani doing the lead across a great Bossa Nova rythmn. This would become Sergio's signature tune and one he still plays today and even has done a remake recently with "The Black Eye Peas".The original on this album is still the best but perhaps this could also be the way the tracks just blend within this album as the following "One Note Samba/Spanish Flea" which follows just keeps that sunny feel right on coming."The Joker" is third and some lovely keyboards from Sergio provides part of the intro and with Lani doing the lead vocals over one great rythmn with superb support from the backing vocals which was such an important part of the Mendes sound. Things do not drop off one bit with "Going Out of My Head" which was originally recorded by "Little Anthony and the Imperials" and really is just one of those timeless pop songs but still right there in the sixties and for me this is the definite version of the song which has been covered by countless other muscians throughout the years. Sergio's keyboards are just sublime throughout the entire album."Day Tripper" by "The Beatles" is just as good but do not fear we are still getting those great Brazillian numbers with "Tim Dom Dom","Agua De Beber",'O Pato", and "Berimau" all done beautifully. "Slow Hot Wind" the "Henry Mancini" tune is the slowest but still a great Bossa feel is present with lovely airy vocals by the girls.

This album was the sound of the sixties and one that was heard all over the world and it really does have one beautiful summer feel that will always take you back to that time with "Drive Ins" and Convertables.Timeless stuff which was produced by "Herb Alpert" and arranged by "Segio Mendes". One other note is "Lani Hall" would marry Herb Alpert in 1973 and they are still married today and happy.