Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - 1966 - Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

1966 

Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

01. Mais Que Nada (Ma-sh Kay Nada) 2:37

02. One Note Samba / Spanish Flea 1:46

03. The Joker 2:37

04. Going Out Of My Head 3:00

05. Tim Dom Dom (Chim Dome Dome) 1:51

06. Day Tripper 3:09

07. Agua De Beber (Agwa Gee Bebérr) 2:28

08. Slow Hot Wind 2:32

09. O Pato (O Pawtoo) 1:58

10. Berimbau 3:15

Bass, Vocals – Bob Matthews

Drums – João Palma

Percussion, Vocals – José Soares

Vocals – Janis Hansen

Vocals – Lani Hall

Vocals, Keyboards – Sérgio Mendes

Producer, Presenter, Liner Notes – Herb Alpert

After bouncing around Philips, Atlantic, and Capitol playing Brazilian jazz or searching for an ideal blend of Brazilian and American pop, Sergio Mendes struck gold on his first try at A&M (then not much more than the home of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and the Baja Marimba Band). He came up with a marvelously sleek, sexy formula: dual American female voices singing in English and Portuguese over a nifty three-man bossa nova rhythm/vocal section and Mendes' distinctly jazz-oriented piano, performing tight, infectious arrangements of carefully chosen tunes from Brazil, the U.S., and the U.K. The hit was Jorge Ben's "Mas Que Nada," given a catchy, tight bossa nova arrangement with the voice of Lani Hall soaring above the swinging rhythm section. But other tracks leap out as well; the obvious rouser is the Brazilian go-go treatment of the Beatles' "Day Tripper," but the sultry treatment of Henry Mancini's "Slow Hot Wind" and the rapid-fire "Tim Dom Dom" also deserve mention.

The start of a legend – and the very first album by Sergio Mendes' Brasil 66 group, proudly brought to the world through the godlike talents of a young Herb Alpert! Sergio was no stranger to the recording studio by the time of this set, but the record marked a real shift in his music – a change from the mostly-instrumental bossa modes he first forged back in Brazil, and a shift to warmer, sweeter pop with a nice sunny California finish – done through unique production techniques and the group's trademark two-lady lead vocals! The sound is tremendous, and is possibly heard in its purest form here – simple, focused, and given that near-perfect A&M sound through Herb's production skills.