Sérgio Mendes, a Brazilian jazz and hard-bossa pianist-arranger who relocated to the U.S. in 1964 and launched his Brasil '65 and '66 pop groups, kicking off the sunshine pop movement, died in Los Angeles on September 5 of complications from long Covid. He was 83. [Photo above of Sergio Mendes, left, and Antonio Carlos Jobim in New York in 1964]
Mendes first performed in the U.S. at the famed Bossa Nova at Carnegie Hall concert in late 1963 and remained here the following year. Like many Brazilian musicians who became expatriates in America, Mendes felt he could be more successful in the U.S. than under the newly installed regime in Brazil following the country's March-April 1964 military coup.
His first two albums in the U.S. were recorded as Sergio Mendes & Brasil '65, for Capitol and Atlantic Records. Both bombed. Fortunately for Mendes, A&M Records had begun to dominate the young-adult pop market.
Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss—the label's A and M—had already figured out that an upbeat, sophisticated sound akin to the one used by the Tijuana Brass could be money-makers for other groups they signed. At the time, the gentle, cool tastes of dating young adults weren't being met by the British Invasion, emerging psychedelic rock bands or easy listening strings. For A&M, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 was a perfect fit, thanks largely to Mendes's breezy vocals of two female singers and his textured, soft-samba arrangements.
The group's first major single, a cover of Mas que Nada, by Brazilian composer Jorge Ben, reached No. 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Billboard Easy Listening charts. But it was the group's 1968 single, The Look of Love, the Burt Bacharach and Hal David theme for the film Casino Royale, that put them on the map after being performed during the Oscars and peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Going forward, the group focused on giving pop hits a sensual, swinging bossa nova makeover.
In tribute to Mendes, here are seven video clips of his Brasil '66 hits:
Here's their first, Mas Que Nada...
Here's The Fool on the Hill...
Here's Going Out of My Head...
Here's Pretty World...
Here's Watch What Happens...
Here's Wichita Lineman...
And here's my favorite, For Me...
