Sergio Mendes, Bossa Nova Pioneer and Frequent Manila Visitor, 83

Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian musician who died Friday at the age of 83, brought bossa nova from the nightclubs of Rio de Janeiro to the global stage, cementing a career that spanned more than five decades.

He was a favorite among Filipinos who grew up in the 60s and the 70s who related both to his infectious, upbeat bossa and his tender love songs, among them “Waiting for Love,” “Hey Look at the Sun,” “The Trouble with Hello is Goodbye,” and “Love City.” In 1983, Mendes scored another hit with “Never Gonna Let You Go.”

Mendes first performed in Manila in 1975, followed by several shows from 2006 until 2019.

In a 2005 interview with the Guardian, Mendes described bossa nova’s relatability: “It makes you dream and it makes you feel good. It’s very rhythmical so you can dance to it, and it has haunting melodies that you take to bed with you, so you can hum and whistle them.”

While contemporaries Gilberto Gil and Carlos Jobim were embraced by jazz listeners, Mendes captured the world of popular music with his sunny bossa beats. 

“Bossa nova was mostly very minimalist. You know, a guitar and a singer. Very quiet. And so I wanted to disturb,” he said in a video interview with AARP, a non-profit group for persons over 50.

“Sergio Mendez was my brother from another country…He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance and joy,” musician and record producer Herb Alpert wrote on Facebook and Instragam.

Before moving to Los Angeles in 1964, Mendes played on albums for American jazz musicians, among them Herbie Mann and Cannonball Aderley. As a solo artist, he recorded two instrumental albums that were poorly received, before forming a group that included singer Lani Hall. Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66 released their debut album on Alpert’s A&M label, featuring “Mas Que Nada.” It became his first hit single, and the the first song with Portuguese lyrics to become a worldwide hit largely due to Mendes’ upbeat samba arrangement. 

Their biggest break came when they recorded a version of “Look of Love,” followed by covers of contemporary hits  “Going Out of my Head” and “Fool on the Hill.” 

In 2006, The Black Eyed Peas re-recorded “Mas Que Nada,” introducing Mendes to the hip-hop and R&B generation. (JS)