It is curious to hear that Sergio Mendes says that he missed time. “It was the worst time in the world,” he tells Estado, on the phone, from his home in Los Angeles. He, the composer who created a voice that struck Americans as “Brazilian grooves”, was more derivative than Boss Bova, an undisputed ambassador abroad until his version was released Nothing more, By George Benn, the album was released in 1966 Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66 of Herb Alpert Present.
Sérgio, a salesman with a scary 1 million record time in the United States and the owner of a hit with high fingering power on the radio while The Beatles released RevolverTalking about the wrong time. it is not true. The time was right. It was, at the age of 0, at the age of 0, favorable to put an album full of special guests and new creations on the platform, to confirm that his voice still became a brand new, The generation is venerated by a broad arch of artists. From rappers to reggaetan stars who want him around.
But Kovid-19 followed Sergio’s world and plans. The album In the key to happiness Came out on February 28, 2020, received good reviews, but did not make up a third of the expected noise. Many people in Brazil are not even aware of its existence. The special press in the United States was, as always, attentive to Mendes. “Don’t get me wrong”, wrote critic Ad Amorosi from North American publication JazztimesBefore stepping into a mine with one of the most intriguing comments in the analysis: “Mendes has been a face to Brazilian delightfully sophisticated sounds since he left his mentor Antonio Carlos Jobim and bossa Nova Jazz to pop radio A.M. Brought to prominence. Since the 60s, he noted the differences of his celebration’s North American stage compared to the 1963 instrumental album, which attaches great importance to Sergio Mendes, You haven’t heard anything yet!, Recorded with the group Bossa Rio.
Jobim never dropped his repertoire, but perhaps the journalist referred to the treatment of the recording. And he gets it right when he speaks “the face for the cheerful sophisticated sounds of Brazil”. His new album, released after 55 years more than anythingPreserves the optimism of the time when he took another sun for California. With a heavy and numerous involvement in production, as Mendes prefers, he does not have the subtleties preserved in the 1966 past, such as Get out of my head, Or more delicate bow, like your version Duck. In the key to happiness It has powerful rhythmic hideouts and overflows arranged for a series of visiting guests, thereby reinforcing Sergio Mendes’ idea of tourism Brazil, with which the pianist built his brand.
Regarding the fact that he based his career on dating, he says: “That’s right, it’s always been that way.” And expelled his Brazil from a contradictory view which, in practice, may still not exist, the following says: “I came here (in the United States) in 1964. Since then, many governments (in Brazil) have been formed. As I am not there, it is difficult to decide at a distance.
But what seems to be Brazil is far from your music in the days of epidemics. “I can see from a distance how the country is being managed and it is very sad to see this negativity (in relation to the epidemic). We passed through here as well. I believe that I cannot influence my work, we cannot lose hope. We should continue to give happiness to the people. “
Thus, apart from a critique that might see him with a certain isolationism, Mendes reveals his engagement as an informal ambassador to a place that only needs to be opposed even in thought. “Music becomes the only refuge where you can express yourself.”
The repertoire was recorded on the samba bases of his album, and he is always supported by them, to achieve the voice of committed North American rapper Common in Brazil (in Taste of rio), Wife of Samba Rosé and Mendes, Gresinha Lepores (in) let’s go), By young Sugar Jones (in Glory in heaven), By Hermato Pascol and Grasinha (in Oh! That is the matter) And its talisman of will .i.am restorations Water to drink, Perhaps a strategic option, if we remember that the Black Eyed Peas, by Willi.am, was made with Serio in 2006 when relaunching more than anything no disk Bad time.
Water to drink It has an undisputed track potential and makes up for the cool totals that propelled Mendes’ career, but the volume did not increase in February 2020. “I want to travel next year with this repertoire,” he says, having already been vaccinated with the first dose of the Kovid-19 immunizer. The time of their separation was used to watch many movies from TV platforms and do everything at home that the road did not allow them to do for years.
The documentation. Talking about the album as a novelty, Sergio announced a documentary with the same name as the album, produced by director John Scheinfeld, films about the lives of Harry Nilsson, John Lennon and John Coltrane Was the author of. The filmmaker said before Joe Biden’s election, “I felt strongly that the film needed to be a model of political polarization dominating all the dark and cultural landscapes coming from Washington.” In addition to testimonials from Quincy Jones, will.i.am, John Legend and Carlinhos Brown, there are stories of encounters with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Steve Wonder. “Sergio translated what was happening in Brazil to the rest of the world,” will.i.am says.
Sergio says that his contact with young musicians, such as the Chinese Zone or Colombian duo Cali y el Dande, with whom he works whole night, Comes from the same curiosity that drove her to the United States in the 60s. “Everything has to do with my desire to meet new people. I get many things from other countries. Sometimes, this encounter exists, sometimes not. “One of his tastiest stories, which he remembers in the interview, was the one that happened just after the recording of the song, signed by Lennon and McCartney, but was actually composed by Paul, the fool on the HillFrom LP of the same name released by Sergio in 1968. The Beatles released the song magical Mystery Tour one year ago. Paul listened to Sergio’s version and wrote a letter to Brazil, stating that it was the most beautiful recording of his music. At least, until then. Fantasy or real, Sergio Mendes remains indestructible in the eyes of the Brazilian world, which seems to be buying only music, from triad carnival, football and samba. (With Agocesia Estado)
