Mendes's gorgeous singers.

[Joao Carlos]

I've been a hardcore fan for more than 3 decades. Don't you think we deserve a list of all female singers "Brasil" has had since 1966? Must confess I am very fond of sweet Lani Hall and beautiful Karen Philipp. I got to see them backstage at THE MUNICIPAL THEATRE in Rio de Janeiro when Mendes first brought his ensemble to Brasil. Simply UNFORGETTABLE! Wish we could have more of their pictures other than those on the records.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I can't fill in the pre-A&M history, but here's what I can recall off the top of my head:

HERB ALPERT PRESENTS thru LOOK AROUND:
Lani Hall / Janis Hansen

FOOL ON THE HILL thru STILLNESS: (and also LIVE AT THE EXPO 70)
Lani Hall / Karen Phillipp
(with Gracinha Leporace guesting on "Lapinha" from FOOL and "Lost in Paradise" from STILLNESS)

PAIS TROPICAL:
Gracinha Leporace / Karen Phillipp

PRIMAL ROOTS and IN CONCERT:
Gracinha Leporace / Geri Stevens

LOVE MUSIC and VINTAGE '74:
Bonnie Bowden / Gracinha Leporace

SERGIO MENDES (Elektra label):
Bonnie Bowden / Sondra Catton

After this, the singers would change for every album. Anyone else care to fill in the list? (Or I'll edit this post when I have my album covers in front of me!)

 

[Joao Carlos]

Hi Mike...Thank you for the info on the singers. I now recall Sondra Catton. FANTASTIC voice. Strong and powerful. She blended very well with the softness in Bonnie's voice. I wonder what the two have been doing. Any idea?
Have a good day.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Brasil '66 - H.A.P./Equinox/Look Around

Lani Hall & Janis Hansen

Brasil '66 - Fool On The Hill/Crystal Illusions/Ye-Me-Le/Live At Expo '70

Lani Hall & Karen Philipp

Gracinha sings "Lapinha" on Fool On The Hill, uncredited on Ye-Me-Le

Brasil '66 - Stillness

Lani Hall, Karen Philipp & Gracinha Leporace

Brasil '77 - Pais Tropical

Karen Philipp & Gracinha Leporace

Brasil '77 - Primal Roots, In Concert

Gracinha Leporace & Geri Stevens

Brasil '77 - (Bell Records) Love Music, Vintage '74

Gracinha Leporace & Bonnie Bowden

Brasil '77 (Elektra) Sergio Mendes

Bonnie Bowden & Sondra Catton

Brasil '77 (Elektra) Homecooking

Bonnie Bowden Amaro, Marietta Araiza (Waters) & Lise Miller

Brasil '77 (Elektra) Sergio Mendes & The New Brasil '77

Marietta Waters, Carol Rogers & Cruz Baca (Mrs. Michael Sembello)

Brasil '88 (Elektra) Brasil '88

Marietta Waters & Carol Rogers

Cruz Baca sings on "One More Lie"

Brasil '88 (Elektra) Magic Lady

Marietta Waters, Carol Rogers & Bonnie Amaro

Sergio Mendes (Som Livre) Horizonte Aberto

Marietta Waters, Carol Rogers, Bonnie Amaro & Gracinha Leporace

The list goes on and on...

After his return to A&M in the early '80s, Sergio introduced any number of vocalists--both in the studio and on stage...

Siedah Garrett, Leza (Lise) Miller, Isela Sotelo, Kevyn Lettau, Carol Rogers, Kate Markowitz, Dianne Reeves, Maureen McGovern, Lani Hall, Angie Jaree...on and on and on...

These days, he has some lovely vocalists in Jessica Taylor, Dawn Bishop, Carol Rogers, Gracinha and Francis Benitez.

Brasil Nut

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Where on YE-ME-LE does Gracinha appear?

 

[Rocketman]

Thanks for the list-something I have wanted for a long time.

and don't forget-

'Sergio Mendes and Brasil '77 Live' on Epic-recorded in Japan, 1973.
Bonnie Bowden & Grancinha Leporace

 

[Hal]

Does anyone know if Love Music is available in CD format?
thanks,Hal

 

[Harry]

Love Music, to the best of our collective knowledge here at the Corner, has not had an official release on CD. There are some Asian bootlegs floating around, but they are just dubs from LPs (and not very good ones from what I've heard).

Best bet at this point is to find a clean LP somewhere and dub a copy for yourself onto CD.

Harry
...watching the temperatures tumble through the twenties, online...

 

[vinman37]

On Crystal Illusions which girl is the blonde and who is the brunette? I thought Lani Hall and Karen Philipp were both brunettes.

 

[Harry]

You must be thinking of Janis. Both she and Lani were brunettes. Karen, who replaced Janis was pretty much always a blonde in the Mendes days.

For reference (hard to tell on this tiny web photo), Karen is in the second 'crystal', Sergio's is up front, and Lani is in the fourth. Notice that Karen is wearing a hat on the left image of her 'crystal', but not on the front image. Must be a 'crystal illusion'.

On the back cover, the crystals have been moved, with Lani in the leftmost, then Sergio, then Karen.

All of these images are easier to see on an LP-sized package. This artwork didn't translate well to smaller sizes like cassettes or CDs.

Harry
...who thought the crystal idea was clever, online...

 

[vinman37]

Thanks for the info Harry. It's great to have someone who knows all these things. Thanks for welcoming me into the group. Would you know if there are any video performances available for Sergio or any photos or good web sites? Thanks again.

Vinny

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Where on YE-ME-LE does Gracinha appear?

I asked Gracinha this very question in New York last November. Her response was, "Yeah, I'm on Ye-Me-Le...here and there...here and there..." That was all she said.

Jon...the "Brasil Nut"