Sergio Mendes Music

Sergio Mendes' version of "The Christmas Song" opens this Universal collection from 2005. The subtle samba beat compliments this Mel Torme classic, "Jack Frost nipping @ your nose; Yuletide carols being sung by a choir & folks dressed up like Eskimos." David Benoit's version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" has a fluid piano on this instrumental track. Chris Botti's "Winter Wonderland" that first appeared on his December CD is a light jazz treat. Peter Cincotti is one of my favorite singers; so his version of "My Favorite Time of Year" resonates with me from his amazing piano to his great vocals. Wisconsin's Erin Boheme does an excellent job on "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Composer Henry Mancini's daughter Monica who has recorded three albums does a swinging version of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." Al Jarreau looses his tenor on a song with which I was unfamiliar, "Christmas Morning," "Turkey is cooking, the kids are looking for some candy canes." Mindi Abair's version of the John Lennon & Yoko Ono song "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" is a strong instrumental and highlights the beauty of the melody. Lee Ritenour who has a stunning new classical & jazz album with Dave Grusin titled "Amparo" does an excellent job on "White Christmas." Will Downing applies his vocal pyrotechnics to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to what sounds like a light calypso beat. Jamie Cullum's upbeat original composition "Next Year Baby" has the unusual lyric in which he resolves to drink less beer in the comming year. "Holiday Jazz" is a good collection of holiday favorites done with a variety of jazz inflections. Enjoy!

Here is what I think of this disc. The Sergio Mendes has been re-recorded. It IS NOT the original used on the A&M Christmas Variety LP. On the latter SM& Brazil 66 were the best cut, but this cd presents some weak-kneed version of the Christmas Song I wanted. Mendes was obviously aware that his first version was a cult hit, and that it was not available on cd...but he should have left the hit version stay rare-ified! Plus the disc is very poorly concieved. The quality of each selection is mediocre as well. Definitely NOT worth more than $2.99!

Ok. I admit it. I've only heard a sample of Erin Boheme singing 'I'll be Home For Christmas" on her Myspace site. But based on that sample alone, I give it 5 stars. She has an amazing voice and sings from the heart. I wish she'd make an entire Christmas CD. This album also includes other young jazz artists like Peter Cincotti and Jamie Cullum. This is good stuff folks and now that I've discovered this CD, It's on the wish list for next Christmas.

This is a unexpected classic from 1976; like Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah band only funkier. My favorite cuts are The title track, Cut that Out, and the the remake of Where to now St. Peter. The whole album is excellent and I could not find it for years as it appeared out of print. Now that it is here snatch it up quick before the world of commercial music eclipses these real musicians with more processed beats with artists that generally dont even play instruments. Sergio Mendez and many of the other Bossa Nova greats are all about music for musicians, a concept that doesn't always have mass appeal but is complete quality.

After a handful of albums recorded with his latin jazzy oriented Brasil 77 such as Pais Tropical,Love Music and Vintage 74 Sergio Mendes stepped up to the plate with a brand new group called the New Brasil 77 including guitarists Michael Sembello (Stevie Wonder)and Dennis Budimir (Joni Micthell)as well as the justly renowned Louis Johnson.From that you may gather Mendes was going for a more funk/soul oriented sound and that is exactly what comes out of this."Sunny Day" actually brings to mind some of the recent work of the Santana band only with the great female singers Sergio seems to always get.But if you want SERIOUS funk you'll have to go further then the light latin inflect "Shakara" and the monster title track that ends up album,with some of the most dangerous funk rhythm guitar you'll hear from the music of 1976.Known for his good taste in cover songs Sergio again chooses wisely,focusing this time on songs that were unsung classics but not obvious hits-in this case a bouncy version of Elton John's "Where To Now St.Peter?" and a creamy version of Edgar Winter's "Tell Me In A Whisper" from his uqually unsung Jasmine Nightdreams,also from the same period and more then worth checking out."Hey People Hey" and Sembello's "It's Up To You" set the standard for the rest of this album-upbeat funk pop grooves with nice musical backdrops are to be found on "It's So Obvious That I Love You","Emorio" and "Cut That Out" as well.For fans of this band-somewhat of an all star mid 70's R&B funk band it is certainly nice to see this in print in a non import fasion so it's afforable and people can have a chance at hearing it again!Whatever the case this is a great album!

I second EVERYTHING the previous reviewer has mentioned. This is an infectious, rockin' pre-disco era Brazil '77 album. As in the best Sergio Mendes albums, the pop tunes are kept to a minimum and the joyful Brazilian stuff rules!

I purchased the LP while a college student after seeing Sergio and the girls perform "Hey People Hey" on the Tonight show with Johnny Carson. I could not get that darn sound out of my head, wanted it to continue all nite! It was shocking how wonderful rocking and funky Brazil '77 had become. I loved it!

If you ever find this in ANY FORMAT.....BUY IT. You won't be disappointed. Crank up the volume and sing along with Sergio and the girls!

What an oasis this album was for long-time Mendes fans, after the relatively barren Bell and early Elektra years. Sergio, working with a stellar rhythm section (including Wonderlove's Michael Sembello), and the superb vocals of Lise Miller, Marietta Waters and Bonnie Bowden, expertly delves into a "heavier" Latin sound (almost Santana-like at times) while preserving the lighter Bossa Nova sound for which he justifiably became world-famous.

"Homecooking" has a number of standout moments, notably the opener, "Sunny Day," which repeats the title chant over an increasingly infectious and complex rhythm arrangement, and an absolutely incredible cover of Elton John and Bernie Taupin's "Where to Now, St. Peter?", which surely should have been a monster hit for Sergio in a just universe. But virtually every song on the album has its charms, including Gilberto Gil's "Hey People Hey" and "Cut that Out," Bossa nova legend Carlos Lyra's "It's So Obvious that I Love You," Joao Donato's haunting ode to Yoruba, "Emorio," and Sembello's own proto-mystical anthem to self-determination "It's Up to You."

Sergio had been through some extremely lean years, career-wise, by the time this album came out. "Too long it took you to be happy again," goes the lyric in "Hey People Hey," and it seems autobiographical. But Sergio and company sound ecstatic in this release, a great reworking of the classic Brasil '66 sound coupled with mid-70s multi-keyboards and a more propulsive rock beat, and that sound is contagious. Highly recommended to all Sergio fans.

This is a unexpected classic from 1976; like Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah band only funkier. My favorite cuts are The title track, Cut that Out, and the the remake of Where to now St. Peter. The whole album is excellent and I could not find it for years as it appeared out of print. Now that it is here snatch it up quick before the world of commercial music eclipses these real musicians with more processed beats with artists that generally dont even play instruments. Sergio Mendez and many of the other Bossa Nova greats are all about music for musicians, a concept that doesn't always have mass appeal but is complete quality.

After a handful of albums recorded with his latin jazzy oriented Brasil 77 such as Pais Tropical,Love Music and Vintage 74 Sergio Mendes stepped up to the plate with a brand new group called the New Brasil 77 including guitarists Michael Sembello (Stevie Wonder)and Dennis Budimir (Joni Micthell)as well as the justly renowned Louis Johnson.From that you may gather Mendes was going for a more funk/soul oriented sound and that is exactly what comes out of this."Sunny Day" actually brings to mind some of the recent work of the Santana band only with the great female singers Sergio seems to always get.But if you want SERIOUS funk you'll have to go further then the light latin inflect "Shakara" and the monster title track that ends up album,with some of the most dangerous funk rhythm guitar you'll hear from the music of 1976.Known for his good taste in cover songs Sergio again chooses wisely,focusing this time on songs that were unsung classics but not obvious hits-in this case a bouncy version of Elton John's "Where To Now St.Peter?" and a creamy version of Edgar Winter's "Tell Me In A Whisper" from his uqually unsung Jasmine Nightdreams,also from the same period and more then worth checking out."Hey People Hey" and Sembello's "It's Up To You" set the standard for the rest of this album-upbeat funk pop grooves with nice musical backdrops are to be found on "It's So Obvious That I Love You","Emorio" and "Cut That Out" as well.For fans of this band-somewhat of an all star mid 70's R&B funk band it is certainly nice to see this in print in a non import fasion so it's afforable and people can have a chance at hearing it again!Whatever the case this is a great album!

I second EVERYTHING the previous reviewer has mentioned. This is an infectious, rockin' pre-disco era Brazil '77 album. As in the best Sergio Mendes albums, the pop tunes are kept to a minimum and the joyful Brazilian stuff rules!

I purchased the LP while a college student after seeing Sergio and the girls perform "Hey People Hey" on the Tonight show with Johnny Carson. I could not get that darn sound out of my head, wanted it to continue all nite! It was shocking how wonderful rocking and funky Brazil '77 had become. I loved it!

If you ever find this in ANY FORMAT.....BUY IT. You won't be disappointed. Crank up the volume and sing along with Sergio and the girls!

What an oasis this album was for long-time Mendes fans, after the relatively barren Bell and early Elektra years. Sergio, working with a stellar rhythm section (including Wonderlove's Michael Sembello), and the superb vocals of Lise Miller, Marietta Waters and Bonnie Bowden, expertly delves into a "heavier" Latin sound (almost Santana-like at times) while preserving the lighter Bossa Nova sound for which he justifiably became world-famous.

"Homecooking" has a number of standout moments, notably the opener, "Sunny Day," which repeats the title chant over an increasingly infectious and complex rhythm arrangement, and an absolutely incredible cover of Elton John and Bernie Taupin's "Where to Now, St. Peter?", which surely should have been a monster hit for Sergio in a just universe. But virtually every song on the album has its charms, including Gilberto Gil's "Hey People Hey" and "Cut that Out," Bossa nova legend Carlos Lyra's "It's So Obvious that I Love You," Joao Donato's haunting ode to Yoruba, "Emorio," and Sembello's own proto-mystical anthem to self-determination "It's Up to You."

Sergio had been through some extremely lean years, career-wise, by the time this album came out. "Too long it took you to be happy again," goes the lyric in "Hey People Hey," and it seems autobiographical. But Sergio and company sound ecstatic in this release, a great reworking of the classic Brasil '66 sound coupled with mid-70s multi-keyboards and a more propulsive rock beat, and that sound is contagious. Highly recommended to all Sergio fans.

How is it that Japan would end up with a 1966 recording of a South American artist, live in San Fransisco? I guess there really isn't a good answer to that question, except to just shrug, and import the darn thing. The pure essence of Sergio Mendes and Brasil 65 is captured beautifully on this collection of tracks recorded in the famed "El Matador." From the random china clang, to the spare truck driving by outside, every subtle nuance has been preserved... oh along with some pretty amazing musical moments. In Person at El Matador shines with gorgeous Brazillian/Jazz arangements by Sergio, and exotic vocals by Wanda De Sah... A perfect addition to any cocktail music list, even if the import price eats into your bar tab a bit!