Vinyl of the Month: Sergio Mendes
An exploration of Bossa Nova covers
As I mentioned last week, I’m exploring the depths of my vinyl collection. Thanks to a random number generator, the focus for this week is the 1975 self-titled album Sergio Mendes, released in Brazil as I Believe.
For those unfamiliar, Sergio Mendes is a Brazilian musician who rose to fame in the 60s with his band Brasil ’66. Mendes’ was discovered by Herp Alpert and Jerry Moss who signed Brasil ’66 to their record company A&M. The first album on A&M was Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, which went on to go platinum. Their cover of Mas que Nada—originally by Jorge Ben—was their breakout hit from that record. Perhaps you remember the 2006 re-recording featuring the Black Eyed Peas?
Mendes grew up in Brazil and attended the local conservatory, originally training to be a classical pianist. However, he was swept up by jazz, samba, and Bossa Nova music that was gaining popularity around him at that time.
Mendes has had a decades long career, combining jazz, funk, and Brazil’s signature Bossa Nova, maintaining his relevance by working with contemporary artists like the Black Eyed Peas, or Justin Timberlake.
By 1975 when this self-titled album was released, it was already Mendes’ 27th album and Mendes had reached a bit of a lull in his career.
This record has ten songs and runs about 38 minutes in total. It features covers from Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, George Harrison, and more. I’m not sure where or when I purchased this particular record, but the price label still affixed on the front of the sleeve indicates that I paid $5 for it. The specific copy I have in my possession turns out to be a promotional copy from Elektra Records and still includes the “not for sale” sticker on the front. I surely picked out this album because of my familiarity, albeit limited knowledge, of Sergio Mendes.
In today’s terms, I would define this record as easy listening, smooth jazz, something my mom would put on in the car when I was a teenager. Of course, as I teenager, this is the kind of music that I’d probably roll my eyes at—I always hated the smooth jazz station (94.7 The Wave.) But now, I’m sort of comforted by the dulcet tunes. Maybe as we get older, we all start to like smooth jazz? Or maybe as I’ve gotten older, my appreciation, comprehension, and understanding of this kind of music has changed and grown with me.
I’m struck by how most of the songs from this record were originally released within just a few years prior to this album. Imagine a Bossa Nova cover of Taylor Swift’s discography. Currently, there are scores of Bossa Nova covers of modern pop songs on the internet. But personally, I find most of them kind of lame, with the majority being just unlistenable to me. Sergio Mendes may be easy listening but it’s not cringy, which is how I would describe the vast majority of the Bossa Nova Covers playlist available on Spotify. Perhaps because the covers on Mendes’ album are now already old, I don’t associate them with being mainstream pop music, and therefore they lose the ability to be cringey?
In my exploration of Bossa Nova covers and cringe, I was reminded of the band Nouvelle Vague, who covers 80s New Wave music in the Bossa Nova style—which is very much a schtick. But it’s one that works. I can’t describe what makes it work, in the same way that I can’t describe what makes Mendes’ covers work. Is it the arrangement? The blending of genres? Perhaps it’s the quality of the music made at the time? Stevie Wonder may have been pop music, but the complexity of his music is far greater than most standard pop music today.
I think ultimately what makes it work is that Sergio Mendes is making music for music’s sake. He’s not putting together a pale imitation of Bossa Nova. He’s putting his own spin on the songs, and they are not getting lost in the constraints of what people think that genre should sound like.
If you don’t happen to own this record on vinyl, the album is available on Spotify. I recommend giving it a listen, even if it isn’t your usual jam. It’s an excellent soundtrack for when you’re just waking up and starting your day. Play while drinking your morning coffee and catching up on the news. My favorite song from the record is Davy, which just has a completely vibe from the original released by Shirley Bassey and subsequent version by Marlena Shaw.
Happy Listening!
Additional Listening
Here’s some of the music I mentioned in this article, if you want to explore and share your theory for why Bossa Nova covers are so cringe.