Brazilian Music Legend Sérgio Mendes Dies at 83

Brazilian musician Sérgio Mendes, who played a pivotal role in popularizing bossa nova and samba with Western audiences, has died at the age of 83, his family has confirmed.

Mendes and his band Brasil ’66 were instrumental in bringing Brazilian pop music to a global audience. Known for his unique fusion of Western melodies and Brazilian rhythms, Mendes made a significant impact with covers of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” and Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” His rendition of The Beatles’ “The Fool On The Hill” from the 1967 album Look Around earned high praise from Paul McCartney, who called it his favorite version of the song.

Although sometimes labeled as “easy listening,” Mendes achieved considerable success, performing on arena tours and at the White House for Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. He was a regular on television shows alongside stars like Perry Como, Jerry Lewis, Fred Astaire, and Frank Sinatra, with whom he developed a close friendship.

In the 1970s, Mendes relaunched his career with the band Brasil ’77. Despite a period of commercial decline, his 1983 comeback album, Sergio Mendes, featured his biggest hit, a cover of Dionne Warwick’s “Never Gonna Let You Go.” Mendes noted that adding the song to the album at the last minute was a fortuitous decision, as it provided a needed change of pace.

Mendes’s 1992 album, Brasileiro, earned him a Grammy and featured collaborations with young percussionist and singer Carlinhos Brown. Their hit “Magalenha,” driven by vibrant Bahian percussion, became a Latin standard. In 2012, Mendes and Brown received an Oscar nomination for their work on the Rio soundtrack.

The 1997 inclusion of “Mas Que Nada” in Mike Myers’ Austin Powers film reintroduced Mendes to a new audience. By the early 21st century, many of his earlier works were reissued, and Mendes began incorporating hip-hop elements into his music. Collaborations with the Black Eyed Peas and rappers such as Common and Q-Tip, as well as a cameo in Pharrell Williams’ “Happy,” highlighted his adaptability and enduring appeal.

Mendes received a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 Latin Grammys and continued to perform until recently, including an appearance at the London Jazz Festival in October. In 2020, a film about his life, Sérgio Mendes In The Key Of Joy, was released alongside a new album.

Mendes once described his musical philosophy, saying, “When I think about Brazilian music, the first words that come to my mind would be joy, celebration, party… I think it is in the spirit of the people in general.”

He is survived by his wife, Gracinha Leporace, who contributed to many of his records, and his five children.

Via BBC