Sergio BOM TEMPO Articles

[Steve Sidoruk]

The boss of bossanova
Published on April 16, 2010

Sergio Mendes isn't currently booked for Bangkok, but his new album is so good we had to call him up

The rebirth of bossa nova on the club scene means that Sergio Mendes can't even begin to think about resting on the laurels he's amassed since the '60s - including more than 30 albums and countless awards.

The man who got the world listening to Brazilian music after Americans went crazy for his hit "Mas Que Nada" still knows how to get fans in the groove, as is clear enough from his latest album "Bom Tempo".

Mendes' old fans never tire of his jazzy bossa nova, and now the younger crowd has tuned in through modern takes on it by hip-hop and neo-soul artists including Will.I.Am, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu and John Legend.

Sergio Mendes songs - "Corcovado", "Like a Lover", "Never Gonna Let You Go" - are as universal as they are timeless, and "Bom Tempo" brings together Brazil's best songwriters, plus his wife, singer Gracinha Johnson.

We phoned him up and asked him to translate the title.

"Bom tempo is Portuguese for 'good time', and it also means 'good weather'," Mendes explains. "Brazilian music is about summer, dance, celebrating life - all those wonderful things."

The album has both old and new songs.

I like very much to revisit something that I've recorded in the past and bring a whole new interpretation to it.

For instance, there's a song I recorded for Brasil '66 called "Emorio", but it's now 2010, and it's a wonderful thing because it shows that the song lasts for a long, long time.

As for the new songs, well, you know I always like to have both things. To have brand-new songs that people haven't heard but that fit the mood and the flavour of the album, they have to feel like it's summer.

Did you record it in the summer?

I started recording last June. It was hot outdoors, so I felt like doing an album that felt that way, which is pretty much what Brazil is.

I mean, it's never too cold in Brazil, and the music is always vibrant and happy and up-tempo.

What's the most special thing about Brazilian music for you?

I grew up with it, so it's very natural to me. Of course a lot of people think Brazilian music is only bossa nova, but it's many different styles. Today if you go to Brazil, which is a huge country, you'll hear different music. It's a country that has a beautiful diversity of sounds and rhythms.

It's always innovating.

Did the music change much when it became internationally popular?

Some of it, yes, mainly because of the language: Sometimes they play in languages other than Portuguese, which I think is great. There's more interest now in Brazilian music than ever before. It just makes people feel good.

What keeps you inspired?

I love travelling and I love playing music - those two things are very important to me.

I like to bring my music to different cultures, different countries.

I think it's a wonderful thing to play all over the world, and that keeps it very interesting.

How do you keep it fresh?

The important thing is to approach with a fresh and contemporary meaning. You feel it as soon as you start rehearsing a song.

Sometimes I rehearse a song and if it doesn't work I'm not going to record it. When it feels right, you just know that it feels right, fresh and new.

Do you keep up with the latest music?

I get material from all over the world! I have friends in Brazil always sending me new stuff, and I have two children, age 23 and 17, so that's a lot of information.

But I don't listen to music all day long. I like to watch football - soccer - that's my other passion.

Who do you support?

My team in Brazil, you probably don't know, is called Botafogo, and this year with the World Cup in South Africa is going to be a very exciting moment for people who love football, and I'd love to be there.

Which song would you dedicate to the team?

Well, of course, "Mas Que Nada" is very symbolic to me because I recorded it in 1966 and it became a hit all over the world, so it's very special. It has this haunting melody that people just love.

Anything to say to your fans in Thailand?

I miss them, and I'd like to come to Thailand again soon, I hope.

And please enjoy "Bom Tempo"!

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/04/16/life/The-boss-of-bossanova-30127196.html

 

[JMK]

Gracinha Johnson?

 

[JMK]

If there's a surname that screams Brasil, it's "Johnson."

 

[Mr Bill]

And BOM TEMPO??? This CD might be "the bomb" (a good thing) but it's BON TEMPO...

--Mr Bill

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

Not in Portuguese, it's BOM - just ask Julius' Washerwoman.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I suppose a few things got lost in the translation or the writer's notebook. (We all know that "Emorio" was a Brasil '77 record!) Although Sergio has done so many albums under different band names that even he might get confused as to which band recorded which songs.

And Mr. Bill, the CD title is for sure BOM TEMPO.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

Gracinha Johnson......OK........

 

[Harry]

"Johnson" - pronounced leh-poor-ÁH-say



Harry

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

I guess that on-line Portuguese/Thai translator doesn't work too well...

 

[Brasil_Nut]

If Miss Johnson won't do, there's always Gracinha Leporael...you know, the lovely gal from Fool On The Hill!

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

TRANSLATED:
New chapter of the reinvenção of the musician who popularized the Brazilian sound in the exterior Exactly with all the success and acclamation, the paper of Sergio Mendes in Brazilian music is incompreendido. Certain parcel of the critical one prefers to place Sergio to the edge of what it is excellent in the MPB, either for pure esnobismo or birra with the pragmatic skill of the man. The detractors find that the pianista and bandleader of Niterói if autoexilou of a comfortable form are of the country, far from all the conturbação and militancy that Brazilian music lived from the decade of 1960. Mendes, apprentice of the first generation of bossa new, was who better perceived that the foreigners were wild for that type of music. Many Brazilian musicians had been to see as it was the thing there it are, but Mendes was the only one that it had courage and professionalism to catch the competitive American market for the tail. Who lived years 60 knows that Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66 had been part of the sonorous track of the time in the same way that Beatles or any another band of rock. Years 70 and 80 turn Mendes to pass for high and low, even so it still invoiced high in Asia, Wools Vegas and Mônaco. Also it launched albums that today they deserve to be reevaluated. In the start of this new millenium, its name seemed to be note of foot of page in encyclopedia. But Sergio Mendes has a capacity of if reinventar. A visit of the fan Will.i.am, of Black Eyed Peas, changed its richness. The version of Mendes and the North American group for “Mas Que Nada”, hit gigantic of Mendes in 1966, again placed the Brazilian in the popular taste. The resultant album, Timeless (2006), was the first one that Mendes launched in ten years and lined up the musician with hip-hop, pop modern and the effective sound in the dance tracks. Enchantment, of 2008, had one appeals still more including. Just-launched the "Bom Tempo" completes the trilogy initiated with "Timeless." It is also the album most Brazilian of Mendes in much time, with little concessions the electronic strokes and more worried about the arrangements and the instrumental and vocal diversity. It does not have one I appeal nostalgic or the concern mere to behind emulate the samba jazz of 50 years or easy listening of years 60. Good more expensive Tempotem of the production of Mendes of years 70 or 80, with many arrangements of metals, orthodox noise with FM face and rhythmic solutions. The record follows the prescription of Mendes of the last works, that is to recap its old classics and to rescue blacknesses. “Emoriô” (João Donato and Gilbert Gil) and “Ye Me Le” (Luiz Carlos Vinhas and Chico Feitosa), as all know, had been great successes of Mendes many years behind. Here, the first one was in charge of Carlinhos Brown and Nayanna Haley. “Ye Me Le” until gained an interlude of rap, beyond citing “Taj Mahal”, of Jorge Ben. “Maracatu (Nation of the Love)” is a workmanship not so known of the Moacir Teacher Saints, and is interpreted by Its Jorge and Gracinha Leporace. Its Jorge also of the o air of the favour in “Atomic Maracatu”, classic of Jorge Mautner and Nelson Jacobina immortalized for Gilbert Gil. Already “Parents Tropical” were with face of macumba for tourist and can be jumped without remorse. The rerecording of “Caxanga”, Milton Birth, was a good one drawn. The author is the special guest, but unhappyly its vocal one spoiled does not add very to the adequate arrangement elaborated by Mendes. “Real The Thing”, that Stevie Wonder, wrote for the Mendes friend in years 70, gains a new version, with vocal of Katie Hampton. Gracinha Leporace, wife of Mendes and one of its more constant vocalistas, close the album with “Only Had That To be with You” (Tone Jobim), in a conventional and pleasant releitura, but that it does not go to make nobody to forget the version definitive Elis Regina. Good Temponão revolutionizes swims, but it is a good record of traditional Brazilian music.

Portugese:
Novo capítulo da reinvenção do músico que popularizou o som brasileiro no exterior

Mesmo com todo o sucesso e aclamação, o papel de Sergio Mendes na música brasileira é incompreendido. Certa parcela da crítica prefere colocar Sergio à margem do que é relevante na MPB, seja por esnobismo ou pura birra com o jeito pragmático do homem. Os detratores acham que o pianista e bandleader de Niterói se autoexilou de uma forma confortável fora do país, longe de toda a conturbação e militância que a música brasileira viveu a partir da década de 1960. Mendes, aprendiz da primeira geração da bossa nova, foi quem melhor percebeu que os estrangeiros eram loucos por aquele tipo de música. Muitos músicos brasileiros foram ver como era a coisa lá fora, mas Mendes foi o único que teve coragem e profissionalismo para pegar o competitivo mercado americano pelo rabo. Quem viveu os anos 60 sabe que Sergio Mendes e o Brasil 66 foram parte da trilha sonora da época da mesma forma que Beatles ou qualquer outra banda de rock. Os anos 70 e 80 viram Mendes passar por altos e baixos, embora ele ainda faturasse alto na Ásia, em Las Vegas e em Mônaco. Também lançou álbuns que hoje merecem ser reavaliados. No começo deste novo milênio, o seu nome parecia ser nota de pé de página em enciclopédia. Mas Sergio Mendes tem uma capacidade de se reinventar. Uma visita do fã Will.i.am, do Black Eyed Peas, mudou sua fortuna. A versão de Mendes e do grupo norte-americano para “Mas Que Nada”, hit gigantesco de Mendes em 1966, colocou novamente o brasileiro no gosto popular. O álbum resultante, Timeless (2006), foi o primeiro que Mendes lançou em dez anos e alinhou o músico com o hip-hop, o pop moderno e o som vigente nas pistas de dança. Encanto, de 2008, tinha um apelo ainda mais abrangente. O recém-lançado Bom Tempocompleta a trilogia iniciada com Timeless. É também o álbum mais brasileiro de Mendes em muito tempo, com menos concessões a batidas eletrônicas e mais preocupado com os arranjos e com a diversidade instrumental e vocal. Não tem um apelo meramente nostálgico ou a preocupação de emular o samba jazz de 50 anos atrás ou o easy listening dos anos 60. Bom Tempotem mais cara da produção de Mendes dos anos 70 ou 80, com muitos arranjos de metais, sonoridade com cara de FM e soluções rítmicas ortodoxas. O disco segue a receita de Mendes dos últimos trabalhos, que é a de recauchutar seus velhos clássicos e resgatar obscuridades. “Emoriô” (João Donato e Gilberto Gil) e “Ye Me Le” (Luiz Carlos Vinhas e Chico Feitosa), como todos sabem, foram grandes sucessos de Mendes muitos anos atrás. Aqui, a primeira ficou a cargo de Carlinhos Brown e Nayanna Haley. “Ye Me Le” até ganhou um interlúdio de rap, além de citar “Taj Mahal”, de Jorge Ben. “Maracatu (Nação do Amor)” é uma obra não tão conhecida do Maestro Moacir Santos, e é interpretada por Seu Jorge e Gracinha Leporace. Seu Jorge também dá o ar da graça em “Maracatu Atômico”, clássico de Jorge Mautner e Nelson Jacobina imortalizado por Gilberto Gil. Já “Pais Tropical” ficou com cara de macumba para turista e pode ser pulada sem remorso. A regravação de “Caxanga”, de Milton Nascimento, foi uma boa sacada. O autor é o convidado especial, mas infelizmente seu vocal deteriorado não acrescenta muito ao arranjo adequado elaborado por Mendes. “The Real Thing”, que Stevie Wonder, escreveu para o amigo Mendes nos anos 70, ganha uma nova versão, com vocal de Katie Hampton. Gracinha Leporace, esposa de Mendes e uma de suas vocalistas mais constantes, fecha o álbum com “Só Tinha Que Ser com Você” (Tom Jobim), numa releitura convencional e agradável, mas que não vai fazer ninguém esquecer a versão definitiva de Elis Regina. Bom Temponão revoluciona nada, mas é um bom disco de música brasileira tradicional.

Link: http://www.sergiomendesmusic.com/rollingstone_brasil