Debi Nova & will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas)




[TMobile Hot Spot Login Screen featuring the Mendes' "Timeless" album, also available at Starbucks Coffee]

Sergio Mendes, "Timeless", Concord/Universal [European import] #928891 (2006).[LP]

This is a vinyl LP pressing of the original 2006 CD, pictured and listed in detail elsewhere on this site.

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Sergio Mendes, "Selections From Timeless", Concord Records #PRO-CJ-0115-2 (2006).[DJ/Promo 6-track CD] 

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Jane Monheit, "Surrender", Concord #30050 (2007).[CD]

This CD contains the performance of "So Many Stars" with Sergio Mendes.  That track is also written by Sergio Mendes.

Musician personnel:

- Sergio Mendes / Rhodes 73, Arrangements, Pianos, Clavinets, Vocals
- Gracinha Leporace / Vocals
- Paul Jackson Jr. / Electric & Acoustic Guitars
- Alphonso Johnson / Bass
- Carlinhos Brown / Compositions, Vocals, Percussions
- Natalie Cole / Vocals
- Toninho Horta / Guitars
- Mike Shapiro / Drums
- Herb Alpert / Trumpet
- Lani Hall / Vocals
- Miwa Yoshida / Vocals
- Kleber Jorge / Guitars
- Bill Cantos / Vocals
- will.i.am / Vocals, Compositions
- Steve Baxter / Trombone
- Justo Almario / Flutes
- Meia Noite / Percussions
- Giunga / Compositions, Acoustic Guitar
- Vanessa da Mata / Compositions, Vocals
- João Donato / Compositions
- Antonio Carlos Jobim / Compositions

[Free iTunes "Pick of the Week" card given out at Starbucks which contains a track from "Encanto"]

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"Brazilian music legend Sergio Mendes spins his remarkable magic on his newest recording, Encanto (Enchantment), which is among the maestro's most beautifully realized in his unparalleled career. The collection refines Sergio's singular blend of infectious rhythms and irresistible melodies from the great Brazilian Songbook, with his always thoroughly modern arrangements and masterful production approach. The resulting collection is a bona fide Sergio Mendes classic--a kaleidoscopic album that underscores the maestro's ear for addictive melodies, as well as his ability to cast incredibly talented singers and musicians from all over the world.

"Every time I make a new record, it's a new adventure." explains the affable Mendes from his Los Angeles home. "My main motivation," he enthuses, "is to record wonderful songs.  In the process, I enjoy sharing with the world the diversity of Brazilian music-- both in terms of rhythm and melody."

"This time, I wanted to go full circle. So I decided to begin this journey in my homeland, Brazil. I traveled to Rio and Bahia, meeting a number of old friends that I hadn't played with in quite a while. There's a very special musically creative environment in Brazil, which inspires me tremendously."

Mendes was still living in Brazil during the momentous era between the late '50s and the early '60s when the samba-based bossa nova was born. In fact, he was one of the first practitioners of the new genre, together with composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, guitarist Joao Gilberto and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes.

True to his desire to go back full circle, Mendes recorded four seminal Jobim compositions: a hip-hop version of "Agua De Beber" with Toninho Horta on guitar, Mendes' wife Gracinha Leporace on vocals, and the man himself showcasing his instrumental chops on a bewitching Rhodes solo; "Waters of March," which features Grammy nominated,super talented new artist Ledisi; "Somewhere In The Hills," with vocals by none other than Natalie Cole and Flugel Horn solo by great German jazz artist Till Bronner; and "Dreamer," which marks the first time that former mentor Herb Alpert actually plays the trumpet on a Sergio Mendes album, with brilliant vocals by Lani Hall, Alpert's wife and the original lead singer of Mendes' Brasil ‘66.

But the most daring cover in the entire album is a new version of Burt Bacharach's "The Look Of Love," which Mendes had originally transposed to bossa nova heaven in 1967, when it became his biggest hit with Brasil '66.  Produced by Black Eye Pea will.i.am, this new interpretation maintains the beguiling melody of the original, bringing the tune to new millennium territory: keeping Sergio's original bass line intro, with crisp drum programming and a sexy rap/vocal by The Black Eyed Peas' Fergie.

"I mentioned 'The Look Of Love' to Will. I was looking for a way to re-do it, with a dance beat that I heard in Brazil(which is very popular, nowadays, with young people down there) which I thought would be great for the song. Will loved the idea and suggested Fergie to sing it. On Timeless, we had reworked 'Mas Que Nada', presenting it in a different way, and it became an international hit.  This time, we did 'The Look Of Love', 40 years later.

will.i.am's enthusiasm should not come as a surprise. Growing up in Los Angeles, he collected Mendes' original bossa nova classics on vinyl and was influenced by his smooth, pan-Latin approach to creating dance music with sophisticated arrangements and production values. Their 2006 collaboration Timeless distilled the exhilarating feelings that will.i.am experienced recording an album with his longtime idol.

Serious Mendes aficionados will recognize Carlinhos Brown as the principal songwriter on Brasileiro, the seminal 1992 session that saw Mendes changing gears and exploring Bahian rhythms and sounds. A virtuoso percussionist, singer and songwriter, Brown has become famous for his funky song structures and deep percussion textures. "Funky Bahia," the song he co-wrote with will.i.am for this CD, is a perfect cross between American mainstream and Brazilian sensibility--the kind of multi-cultural encounters that the jazz loving Mendes has always favored. It's sung by Will and Siedah Garrett, another Mendes alumna, who sang in Mendes' band in the mid ‘80s and recorded on many of his albums. Also playing on this song (Funky Bahia), as well as several others, are 2 of the greatest musicians of their generation, Sergio's long time friends and collaborators: the virtuoso guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr. and the legendary bassist Alphonso Johnson. Sergio's longtime band members, Mike Shapiro - his drummer for 20 years, brothers Meia Noite and Gibi, percussionists also from Bahia, are also part of this album.

"I've always dreamed of making an album with guest artists from different cultures, singing in their native language, as a way to illustrate the power and magic of Brazilian melodies," he emphasizes. Besides the glorious singing of Zap Mama (in French), the album also includes a rap by Italian super star Jovanotti, as well as a new song by Joao Donato and Joyce - "Y Vamos Ya," - sung in Spanish by Juanes, one of the brightest new stars in contemporary Latin pop.

"I heard about Juanes a couple of years ago and thought that he had a beautiful voice," explains Mendes. "Fortunately, I was able to hook up with him and have him as a guest in this project."

In fact, there is one element that unifies the songs in Encanto, and that's the joy that can be heard in the voices of Mendes' collaborators. No matter what country, demographic or genre they belong to, they were all thrilled to record with the maestro, which speaks volumes about the timeless appeal of Sergio's unique style.

"There's a sensuality to Brazilian Music, a pure kind of sentiment," he concludes. "The melodies are catchy, the rhythms are intoxicating, the songwriting is peerless and the harmonies are beautiful. There's a freshness to that sound that simply refuses to go away."

Encanto is a beautiful Portuguese word that I chose as the album title because it describes the whole project so well. It means: ENCHANTMENT, DELIGHT, CHARM..."

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[Japan CD]

Sergio Mendes, "Bom Tempo", Concord Records #__________ (May 4, 2010).[CD]
Sergio Mendes, "Bom Tempo", Concord Records [Japan] #UCCO-1095 (2010).[CD]

From Arnaldo DeSouteiro's Jazz Station Blog:

Sergio Mendes' third project for the Concord label, "Bom Tempo" will be released in the USA on May 4. It's the follow-up to the best-selling "Timeless" and the not so successful "Encanto," including 12 new arrangements for old tunes like Luiz Carlos Vinhas' "Ye-Me-Le," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Só Tinha de Ser Com Você, "João Donato / Gilberto Gil's "Emoriô," Jorge Ben's "País Tropical," Stevie Wonder's "The Real Thing" (recently covered by Bebel Gilberto) and Milton Nascimento's acid-jazz anthem "Caxangá" (aka "Escravos de Jó" which the late Dom Um Romão turned into a dancefloor hit in the 90s).

The first single is Carlinhos Brown's "You and I" to be distributed to radio stations this week. In Japan, where the CD was already released on March 31st, it includes another version (this time re-constructed by Studio Apartment DJs) of "Mas Que Nada" (how many more will come???!!!???) as a bonus track exclusively for Asian territories.

Tracklist:

01. エモリオ feat. Nayanna Holley & Carlinhos Brown
Emoriô (Gilberto Gil-Joao Donato) *Original 1976

02. マラカトゥ・アトミコ feat. Seu Jorge
Maracatu Atômico (Jorge Mautner-Nelson Jacobina)

03. ユー・アンド・アイ ※1st Single
You and I (Carlinhos Brown)

04. イエ・メ・レ
Ye-Me-Le (Luis Carlos Vinhas-Chico Feitosa) *Original 1969

05. マガレーニャ feat. Carlinhos Brown
Magalenha (Carlinhos Brown) *Original 1992

06. オルフェウス　（クワイエット・カーニヴァル）
Orpheus (Quiet Carnival) (Moacir Santos-Nei Lopes)

07. パイス・トロピカル
Pais Tropical (Jorge Benjor) *Original 1971

08. マラカトゥ　（ネーション・オブ・ラヴ）feat. Seu Jorge & Gracinha Leporace
Maracatu (Nation of Love) (Moacir Santos-Nei Lopes )

09. ザ・リアル・シング feat. Katie Hampton
The Real Thing (Stevie Wonder)　　*Original 1977

10. カミーニョス・クルザドス feat. Gracinha Leporace
Caminhos Cruzados (Antonio Carlos Jobim-Newton Mendonca)

11. カシャンガ feat. Milton Nascimento
Caxanga (Milton Nascimento-Fernando Brant)

12. 私はあなたのもの feat. Gracinha Leporace
Só Tinha De Ser Com Você（Antonio Carlos Jobim-Aloysio de Oliveira）*Original 1964


Bonus track released in Asian countries only:

13. マシュ・ケ・ナダ feat. The Black Eyed Peas (STUDIO APARTMENT Edit）
Mas Que Nada (Jorge Ben)　　※ボーナストラック

From the Concord Music Group website:

Sergio Mendes, producer, composer, arranger pianist, band leader and cultural sage, continues his magical ride with Bom Tempo, a beautiful slice of rhythmically fresh inspiration from the internationally celebrated artist. He remains as vibrant and vital today as he was when leading Brasil '66 to international superstardom. Mendes' modern sensibilities and ultra sensitivity to the intricate and beautiful Brazilian musical language he himself helped create has always been his focus. Bom Tempo expands the maestro's use of color, texture and street derived energy, highlighting his mastery of authentic Brazilian rhythms and composition. In the end, Bom Tempo is a brilliant summer day celebration.

"This is bom tempo music, good times music," says the Brazilian-born, U.S.-based Mendes, who sought to sum up the CD with a succinct Portuguese title. "It's all about the good times, good weather, good tempos. The album is about the diversity, joy and sensuality of Brazilian music-songs I previously recorded and some that I never have-played by Brazilian and American musicians."

Bom Tempo showcases songs from the crème de la crème of Brazilian songwriters (including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil, Joao Donato, Carlinhos Brown, Jorge Benjor, Milton Nascimento and Moacir Santos) and a song from his old friend Stevie Wonder, written especially for Mendes in 1977, the simmering "The Real Thing" (first recorded on Sergio Mendes and the New Brasil '77 album). While many of Mendes' friends and long time collaborators are present on the album (including drummers Mike Shapiro and Vinnie Colaiuta, bassists Nathan Watts and Alphonso Johnson, guitarists Paul Jackson Jr. and Kleber Jorge, percussionist Gibi, vocalist Gracinha Leporace-the bandleader's wife-and songwriter-arranger-vocalist Carlinhos Brown, who was integral to the success of the Brasileiro album), newcomers are also in the mix.

Most prominent is Milton Nascimento, who contributes his own "Caxanga," a moody, mysterious children's song that he had only recorded once. He sings the lead vocal in his singular style and plays the acoustic guitar. Other standout musicians include Seu Jorge, one of Brazil's most promising singers, who is featured on two songs-"Maracatu Atomico" and "Maracatu Nation of Love"; young and talented singers Katie Hampton and Nayanna Holley and the brilliant horn section of Andrew Lippman and Bill Churchville all beautifully arranged by their colleague Scott Mayo. Prominent guitarist Jack Majdecki joined Mendes on this latest project as did gifted, versatile Brazilian rhythm designer, musician Mika Mutti.

Bom Tempo opens with a spirited, chant-like take on the Gil/Donato song "Emorio," featuring Holley and Brown on lead vocals. The latter contributes a funky rap that pays tribute to Brazil's songwriters. In the Afro-Brazilian mix are allusions to such Mendes' hits as "Mas Que Nada" and "The Frog." The second track, another dance-oriented jewel, "Maracatu Atomico," was a first-time rendering, complete with a great horn section and percussive beat, based on the Afro-Brazilian maracatu rhythm. Another song on the CD with the rhythm, "Maracatu (Nation of Love)" is a samba-infused beauty, featuring a gorgeous Jorge/Leporace conversation-like duet and luminous horns.

Bom Tempo features new interpretations of some Brazilian classics, including a fresh spin on "Ye-Me-Le", with a cool rap performed by new band member H2O and a remake of "Magalenha" (from the Grammy-winning Brasileiro album) that features great steel guitar, rap and body percussion contributions from Brown. Says Mendes: "Carlinhos was in Los Angeles for two weeks, so we decided to work on a new, special version of the song he wrote. I said, let's do a 2010 version that not only exhibits great Brazilian music but also pays tribute to the World Cup games this year. Because those soccer games will be played in Cape Town, South Africa, I had the idea of using some Zulu words as part of the song."

Proud of his Brazilian heritage and aware of the magic and seduction of his homeland's music, Mendes notes, "It started with Jobim, being played by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd with Astrud and Joao Gilberto; then it was myself with Cannonball Adderley; Ron Carter, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald recording with Jobim, and later David Byrne putting those compilation albums of a variety of Brazilian musicians playing all kinds of styles. He adds, "More recently (with Timeless and Encanto) the attraction continues, with will.i.am , John Legend, India.Arie, Fergie, and so many more, who love the music so much and were instrumental in helping to expose it to people in their audience. Even for Bom Tempo, when I met the 20-year-old DJ guys Bimbo Jones in London, they were totally into watching YouTube videos of Brasil '66. It just goes to show you that Brazilian music has a universal appeal and it IS timeless... " And so is Sergio Mendes.

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A few days later, on May 18, Concord will issue a companion remix album, featuring some of today's most famous DJs and remixers tackling the infectious beats from "Bom Tempo."

Sergio Mendes, "Remixed from Bom Tempo", Concord Records #_____________ (May 18, 2010).[CD]

This is the companion album to "Bom Tempo" pictured and listed above.

Tracklist:

1. Emorio (PAUL OAKENFOLD)
2. You and I (CUTMORE)
3. Magalenha (MOTO BLANCO)
4. Maracatu Atomico (PAUL OAKENFOLD)
5. The Real Thing (BIMBO JONES)
6. So Tinha De Ser Com Você (NICOLA CONTE)
7. Orpheus (MIKE RIZZO)
8. Maracatu Nation of Love (MARIO C.)
9. Pais Tropical (KASKADE)
10. Ye-Me-Le (DJ CHUCKIE)
11. Mas Que Nada 2010 Remix (NERVO)