Bossa and Sergio: Brasilian Exiles???

[Cotton66]

After doing a report for school (yes, I'm 36 and back in school for Digital Arts. The rock star thing just never panned out) on the subject of Bossa Nova I had many questions as to the state of our beloved music and of our beloved musician.

It seems that after bossa's initial success after being brought here from Brasil by Getz and Co., it was basically raped and let out to die by the record companies and record buying public who quickly tired of it probably from all the knockoffs it bred trying to cash in. But in Brasil since it was thought to be influenced by West Coast Jazz, bossa was looked down upon (...and who doesn't hate Americans anyway, even back then?)

But then it took on a new life as protest music when some Brasilian artists used it to speak out against their government and lyrically it went from sun, sand, and pretty worlds to the poor and workers plight. But, it obviously didn't stay around long as MPB became popular.


I wonder how Sergio is viewed in his home country, as well as Bossa Nova music, along with Bebel Gilberto and others who now make their homes in the USA???


Trent
www.lovehaters.com

 

[seashorepiano]

This asks a lot of questions... I will try to deal with this as succinctly as possible.

I don't agree with the raping and pillaging part of bossa nova. Of course, it did occur, and I will admit readily that Creed Taylor was responsible for it, as were many other producers. I would say that 1968 was the year when authentic bossa nova in the United States took a nosedive. If we look at an artist like Walter Wanderley, he suddenly went from the Brazilian influences on "Batucada" to the awkward "Popcorn," produced by Bob Morgan, to the feeble attempt to return to "Rain Forest" quality in "Kee-Ka-Roo," and finally to the solid-pop orientation of "When it Was Done," incidentally, in 1968.

Some say that Sergio Mendes was approached by Vinicius in a bar one night and called "a bastard" for becoming a traitor to bossa nova. Generally, bossa nova in the US has had mixed reviews in Brazil. Most Brazilians apparently don't listen to Wanderley's US albums, but they do love and respect him, Jobim and Valle for their native works.

Bossa nova took a new life as "protest" music under Edu Lobo and other Tropicalismo artists. Mendes attempted this in his album "Fool on the Hill," which has a few Lobo covers, but isn't an outright political-protest outing.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Dave is correct. The Tropicalismo movement began with Lobo and went from there. Having visited and stayed in Brasil for an extensive period of time as a child, I can honestly say that until Fool On The Hill, there wasn't a great deal of Mendes to be heard.

Agreed that Fool On The Hill wasn't an outright musical protest. The inclusion of Lobo's music was likely from that of a musical standpoint. Sergio was riding the American pop charts at the time. His music had evolved to include more of an Afro-Brazilian sound. This is likely due to the inclusion of Rubens, Dom and Oscar. Not only old friends, but members of the Tropicalismo movement themselves; in part by being associated with Lobo and others within the movement. I don't mean to say that Sergio's choice of material for Fool On The Hill had to with the inclusion of new band members. I mean to say that his music changed into a more sophisticated and straight-forward Brazilian approach, as opposed to the tight pop-like arrangements found on Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Equinox and Look Around.

This was 1968. The year that Wanderley began to "wander" away from his roots. Brazilian music had dramatically changed from what it was. I do agree that copycat musicians probably had a great deal to do with the downfall of Bossa Nova. Who wasn't jumping on the Bossa Bandwagon back in the early to mid '60s?

In regard to how Sergio is regarded in Brasil, I can honestly say that he's considered an "American" musician. He's respected, though not as a Brasilian musician. To them he's Americanized -- lock, stock and barrel.

To give you an example, a good Brasilian friend of mine, who lives in New York, attended the Brasil 2002 performance at the Blue Note with Paul Jeromack and I back in November. Somewhat familiar with Mendes' sound, Serginho (that's his name) came into the Blue Note expecting a "pleasant evening of Brasilian, pop-like tunes..." He came out of the show a confirmed believer in Sergio's music. "I'd heard of Gracinha Leporace from the Novelas," he told me, "but I had no idea how sensational she really is!" In regard to the evening in general, he was blown away that Sergio had put on such a "Brasilian" show. "He plays like the musicians in the North," he said. "Not at all like the Tropicalismo movement; not like fake Bossa...this was real Brasilian percussion, real Brasilian rhythm...it shifted and moved back and forth...I'm going home and calling everyone in Brasil...I have to tell them about Sergio's sound!"

Point being that a real Brasilian was amazed that Sergio actually played Brasilian music -- not the fluff he was expecting. "I have an entirely new respect for Sergio Mendes," Serginho told us on the subway back to Manhattan. I have no doubt (from all I've read and heard about Vinicius) that he called Sergio a "bastard" and traitor. That was then; this is now.

These days, Sergio is seen (by Brasilians) as more of an International musician -- something of which he is very proud. And yet you look at the Horizonte Aberto TV Special from '79 -- the concert portion from Brasil -- and you see a rather nervous Sergio. His face says it all. Going back further, he was quoted as saying that he didn't take Brasil '66 to his home country until '68 because he didn't know how he (or the American girls singing in Portuguese) would be accepted. Turns out he was in for a pleasant surprise. His people loved Brasil '66. These days he plays all over Brasil, travels around listening to different music and utilizes what he likes to form his own sound.

Like Wanderley, most Brasilians didn't listen to Sergio's American songs, but they loved and respected him. He's continued to hold their respect throughout the years.

Jon

 

[Rudy]

To give you an example, a good Brasilian friend of mine, who lives in New York, attended the Brasil 2002 performance at the Blue Note with Paul Jeromack and I back in November. Somewhat familiar with Mendes' sound, Serginho (that's his name) came into the Blue Note expecting a "pleasant evening of Brasilian, pop-like tunes..." He came out of the show a confirmed believer in Sergio's music. "I'd heard of Gracinha Leporace from the Novelas," he told me, "but I had no idea how sensational she really is!" In regard to the evening in general, he was blown away that Sergio had put on such a "Brasilian" show. "He plays like the musicians in the North," he said. "Not at all like the Tropicalismo movement; not like fake Bossa...this was real Brasilian percussion, real Brasilian rhythm...it shifted and moved back and forth...I'm going home and calling everyone in Brasil...I have to tell them about Sergio's sound!"

And if THIS isn't a great argument that Sergio's next album should be a live recording (and dare I say it, an accompanying DVD), I don't know what is!

 

[Brasil_Nut]

And if THIS isn't a great argument that Sergio's next album should be a live recording (and dare I say it, an accompanying DVD), I don't know what is!

I thought so. Serginho (my friend) is very musical himself. Spends a great deal of time in local Brazilian clubs singing his heart out. He also works in a small nostalgic restraurant -- the bar is downstairs, restaurant upstairs. The bar has a small bandstand and piano. Among other musicians, Serginho is fascinated wtih Sinatra. He can be heard singing "Fly Me The Moon" and other standards, in addition to Brazilian tunes. As of late, he tells me he's been incorporating a lot of Mendes into his repetoire...all a result of his "magical" experience at the Blue Note. That's quite a compliment as far as Sergio Mendes is concerned.

Jon