Sergio Mendes 'Encanto' album

Encanto, the new album from Sergio Mendes, remains the #1 Contemporary Jazz Album in the country for the second week in a row! Concord Records presents Sergio Mendes’ Encanto, in stores now, the follow up record to 2006’s Timeless On Encanto, Sergio takes us even deeper into Brazil recording all the basic tracks in Rio and Bahia, finishing up in Los Angeles. Mendes enlists several guest musicians from all over the world including Latin superstar Juanes from Colombia, multi-talented Carlinhos Brown and Vanessa da Mata from Brazil, the foremost Japanese pop group, Dreams Come True, Belgium’s Zap Mama and Italian rapper Jovanotti, as well as American stars like Fergie, Ledisi, Natalie Cole, Herb Alpert and his wife, original Brasil ’66 singer, Lani Hall.

Encanto is classic Sergio Mendes, highlighting the maestro’s ear for enticing melodies and contagious rhythms. On the new album, Mendes recorded four seminal Antonio Carlos Jobim compositions: a hip-hop version of “Agua De Beber” with Toninho Horta on guitar, Mendes’ wife and longtime vocalist Gracinha Leporace, and the man himself showcasing his instrumental chops on a bewitching Rhodes piano solo; “Waters of March,” which is features 2006 GRAMMY®-Award nominee Ledisi and is also reprised in French by Afro-European vocal ensemble Zap Mama; “Somewhere In The Hills,” with vocals by none other than Natalie Cole; and “Dreamer,” which marks the first time that former mentor Herb Alpert joined Sergio on record.

Perhaps the boldest cover on Encanto is a new version of Burt Bacharach’s “The Look Of Love,” which Mendes had originally transposed to bossa nova heaven in 1967. This new interpretation, produced by Black Eye Pea will.i.am, preserves the alluring melody of the original while bringing the song into the new millennium with crisp drum programming and a sexy rap by Fergie.

“We are delighted to team with Sergio and our partners at Concord Music Group once again to co-release Sergio’s latest creation, Encanto,” says Ken Lombard, president Starbucks Entertainment. “Sergio Mendes is one of the most internationally successful Brazilian artists of all time and he showed his enduring appeal with Timeless in 2006.”

“It’s extremely exciting for all of us at Concord to be associated with someone with such timeless appeal and legendary musical vision as Sergio Mendes,” says John Burk, Executive VP of A&R at Concord Music Group.

“Every time I make a new record, it’s a new adventure,” says Mendes. “My main motivation 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.”

Mendes, who lived in Brazil during the historic era between the late ‘50s and the early ‘60s when the samba-based bossa nova was born, was one the first practitioners of the new genre. Mendes established his legend by taking several albums and singles, such as “Brasil 66,” “Mas Que Nada” and his most successful hit, “The Look of Love,” to the top of the pop charts throughout the mid 1960s to the late 1970s.

press quotes
“Sergio Mendes is a proud member of the generation that invented bossa nova… [backed by] his powerful ensemble... Mr. Mendes announced early in the evening his main purpose: to celebrate some of the great Brazilian songwriters. Navigating bossa nova’s vital polyrhythms with grace and powered by two extraordinary percussionists, Mr. Mendes’s band gave evergreens by the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dori Caymmi and Jorge Ben the passionate treatment they deserved. “Mas Que Nada,” was the eagerly anticipated encore and, with the audience singing and dancing along, turned Carnegie Hall into Carnaval” – New York Times

“Sergio Mendes has done it again! Since releasing his latest album “Encanto” last week, it has climbed to the top of the musical charts. “Encanto” has become the #1 contemporary jazz album in the country and was the #1 top downloaded album on iTunes Latino the week of its release... Mendes with his musical curiosity and willingness to try new things from bassa nova to hip-hop has been able to reach a younger generation with his music... But no matter what Mendes stays true to his musical formula” – New York Post

One of the privileges of stardom is the ability to concoct and pull off projects that color outside the lines. In the past few years Sergio Mendes, the superstar Brazilian keyboardist and bandleader and longtime ambassador of bossa nova, has drawn freely on this license... Now Mendes is back with "Encanto," with once again will.i.am as co-producer and a new roster of guest talent that spans generations and genres…At the same time, there's a perceptible shift from the program of "Timeless,"..."Encanto," makes more room for incontrovertibly Brazilian treatments...Mendes, who at this point has come to incarnate the international artist par excellence, admits to an intention of homecoming... It's true that Brazilian music consists of numerous regional styles and energies, and even as "Encanto" connects these with other international genres, it does a good job reflecting that variety... More perhaps than anyone else,[Mendes] has convened a conversation between Brazilian and international artists that has continued across generations, spanning from Cannonball Adderley and Sarah Vaughan to hip-hop and Latin rock stars of today. The enduring allure of Brazil plays a part here, as does the vitality of the great bossa nova songs and their amenability to reinterpretation. So, too, do the good humor and party feel that so many associate with Brazilian music, and that is unabashedly on display in "Encanto" - a summer album for sure, with the easy draw of beach reading.” – Boston Globe

“Encanto” (Enchantment), currently sits atop Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart and features a number of hot young guests, including Fergie, Colombian rock star Juanes, r & b singer Ledisi and Italian rapper Jovanotti. Add in veterans including Natalie Cole, Herb Alpert and Brazil’s Carlinhos Brown and you’ve got one bright tropical summer CD” – Boston Herald

Sergio Mendes certainly knows how to fine-tune an idea...Since [the] previous star-studded album, Mendes focuses more on the bossa nova tradition than the hip-hop mixture...Ledisi’s Waters Of March joyously jiggles forward with a message of survival and struggle. Natalie Cole elegantly blesses the proceedings with a pleasant whimsy that is all too rare in contemporary music; her kaleidoscopic tone is haunting.

Herb Alpert blows clouds of comfort into the gentle Dreamer…This album is certainly Timeless... It’s the sound of summertime sunshine.” – NOW Magazine (Toronto)

“Mendes is still in the throes of a love affair with perhaps his country's most important export...There are few musicians as gifted as pianist-arranger Mendes in creating fusions that resonate with popular taste and retain a high level of artistry... ‘Encanto’ [is] another creative and contemporary reworking of the classics of Brazilian popular music...Mendes delves deeper into the canon [creating] entirely new delights”–NEWSDAY

biography
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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Sergio Mendes - Encanto