What is your favorite musical component of a b66 song?

[Stevenj]

My favorites are the string section on You Stepped Out Of A Dream (also known in my family as You Stepped out of a Tree, due to Sergio's accent and a bad 8 track player where I first heard that tune as a kid and mis-understood)

I also really like the horn section on Moanin' Tristeza and Laia Ladaia, the drums on Dois Dias, the bass on cinnamon and clove, the strings again on the Frog.

What are your favorites?

Stevenj

 

[Rudy]

Hey Steven!

I think my favorite sound was from the first and third Brasil '66 albums--the spare jazz/Brasil/pop arrangements, especially the drum component. John Pisano's guitar on "Triste" is a favorite too.

 

[Mr Bill]

The percussion/rhythm on just about any track and the piano on "Prety World."

--Mr Bill

 

[DAN BOLTON]

...the sitar on CHOVE CHUVA...


Dan

 

[Dave]

The Un... Tu... Threa... Fore... that starts off "Where Is The Love?"; and what's ANY Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and ...'77-song without his Electric Piano...??! :goofygrin:


Dave

 

[Harry]

The beat...and Lani Hall!

Harry

 

[Stevenj]

Lani is a given for me too, I didn't mean to exclude her. In fact the group, for me, is more about Lani than it is about Sergio.
Stevenj

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

The little kick drum beat on beat 4 that begins so many songs and so many records ("Gente", "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Wichita Lineman", "Night And Day", and a ton of others).....

 

[Steven J. Gross]

The percussion/rhythm

--Mr Bill

Dittos

Hey Bill!

 

[JMK]

The Un... Tu... Threa... Fore... that starts off "Where Is The Love?"; and what's ANY Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and ...'77-song without his Electric Piano...??! :goofygrin:


Dave

That would actually be "um, dois, três, quatro", unless Sergio is speaking Esperanto or something.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

what's ANY Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and ...'77-song without his Electric Piano

Uhh, that'd be just about every song up to and including most of FOOL ON THE HILL, and quite a few later songs too.

My favorite bits are hard to nail down. The kickdrum downbeat, for sure; the accoustic piano (especially on the fast songs); and of course Lani's vocals. As for picking bits of individual songs -- there are probably dozens of favorite bits! The piano intro to "Pais Tropical"... the flute/bass interplay on "Ye-Me-Le" ... the intense ending on "Sometimes in Winter" with the calm that precedes it ... the massive production of "Crystal Illusions" ... and the overall "combo" sound of the first three albums, where it's mostly just the band in the studio sounding live. I can't even describe how entertaining this music is to me. Guess that's why I still listen to it regularly after nearly 40 years!

 

[Dave]

Well, whether in Portugese, English or Portuinglés, I am also a fan of Sergio's singers...Lani Hall, Geri Stevens, Gracinha Leoperace, Karen Phillipp...something else that keeps me playing Brasil 'XX again & again...


Dave

...well, you're right about "the countdown": "...um, dois, três, quatro..." ...guess I gotta listen better!

 

[Steven J. Gross]

The beat...and Lani Hall!

Harry

That too!!!

 

[walterphil]

i think my favorite sergio moment is when
the song "for me" changes into the sublime chorus
from the bossa nova verse

it always gives me chills

and the fadeout with that organ

it just don't get no better

 

[Rudy]

The little kick drum beat on beat 4 that begins so many songs and so many records ("Gente", "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Wichita Lineman", "Night And Day", and a ton of others).....

That never occured to me until you mentioned it: there are indeed quite a few of Sergio's tracks that start with that 4th beat kick drum. The first that came to my mind was "Upa Neguinho" (among the laughing).

 

[Aqua do Brasil]

i think my favorite sergio moment is

Dear Forum members,

There are more favorite moments for me.

Such as the guitar interlude at LAPHINA.
The sweeping strings and the IMHO best piano solo Sergio ever did on YOU STEPPED OUT OF A DREAM, direct, crystal clear not to long and right to the point.

The haunting vocals and jazzy piano sounds on NIGHT AND DAY.
The mood on SLOW HOT WIND.
Lani's vocals on GOING' OUT OF MY HEAD
The groovin rhythms and vocalise treatment on THE FROG.
The guitar and piano intro on TONGA.
The virtuoso fiery piano solo on ZANZIBAR
The horns on REZA
Gracinha's vocals and charming accent on LOST IN PARADISE.
The intimate atmosphere on TO SAY GOODBYE.
The unexpected chord changes on VIOLA ENLUARDA.
The song PRETTY WORLD in every sense.
What can I say.

Sergio's treatment of songs whether Brazilian, American Pop or the GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK, for me he always find new and fresh ways to treat a song to a new kind of level, in fact he recomposed the song to new horizons.

All the best,
Aqua do Brasil

All the

 

[Brasil_Nut]

...Only a couple of days to my next (and thankfully LAST) hand operation, so I'll add my two pesos now...

My favorite aspect of Sergio's musical style? It would definitely be his creative and unusual way of playing a keyboard. For example, the BRASIL '88 album features a song called "Midnight Lovers," also covered by Lani on her COLLECTIBLES album. What strikes me about this song is the second time the girls sing: "The rivers were made to run..." at which point Sergio lets go with a beautiful string of notes to symbolize the running water...astounding!

There are so many examples, it's hard to note them all.

The way he added the organ to "For Me," the cool, understated Jazz-influenced sound of the entire HERB ALPERT PRESENTS SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL '66 album, his amazing arrangement of "The Circle Game" to name a few.

A true master of musical expression.

Jon

 

[walterphil]

what's wrong with your hand jon,
carpal tunnel?

good luck and i'll light a candle for you

walt

 

[Aqua do Brasil]

...Only a couple of days to my next (and thankfully LAST) hand operation,


Jon

Dear Jon,

Sorry to hear about your handtrouble.
I wish you all the luck with the fortcoming operation.

All the best and take care and keep up the spirit.


Aqua do brasil

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Walter & Aqua...

Thanks so much for your good wishes. I had Carpal Tunnel surgery performed on both wrists close to five years ago with tremendous success. Early last year, I began to lose all feeling in the fingertips of my right hand. After x-rays, electrical tests and every other test they could think of, it came to pass that I had a rare condition known as an "Ulnar Compression of the wrist." Rare, because an Ulnar Compression is usually found in the shoulder and/or elbow. As a matter of fact, my doctor says that in over 30 years of practicing medicine, he's seen only three cases of Ulnar Wrist Compressions.

They did surgery to correct the problem several months ago. It failed. They again tried to repair the damage, only to find that the main nerve to my right hand had been compromised from the previous procedures. Now, I have limited mobility in my right hand and a Micro Surgeon will attempt to repair the nerve damage next week.

So, there ya'll have it! I am going to have to depend on the greatest Co-Moderator of all, Mr. Blakesley, to continue managing the Mendes forum until I'm capable of returning. And, of course, without the contributions of ya'll who love Sergio so much, he wouldn't have anything to Moderate! Thanks for all of your contributions and keeping the home fires burning.

And, thanks again for your good wishes -- all of you.

Jon

 

[Dave]

Jon, hope you make it through your Operation with much success!

Kind'a reminds me that we hear little Guitar-work on a Sergio Mendes song...

I can't think of too many Brasil '66 songs (or Brasil '77) that feature this instrument, or just pin-point a favorite, but that would be another feature that I love...


Dave

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Jon, glad you made it through your Operation with much success!

Thanks for your words, Dave. But, I have not had the final operation yet. I have it next week.

Kind'a reminds me that we hear little Guitar-work on a Sergio Mendes song...I can't think of too many Brasil '66 songs (or Brasil '77) that feature this instrument, or just pin-point a favorite, but that would be another feature that I love...

A couple of things come to mind regarding guitar work with Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. There's the EQUINOX album where Sergio brought John Pisano over from the TJB and used him extensively ("Cinnamon & Clove" comes to mind). Like I said before, there are other examples, but I can't think of them now...it's late, I couldn't sleep, so I'm checking my e-mail!!

Again, thanks for your kind words of encouragement. (If possible), I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

All The Best...

Jon

 

[Mike]

Jon,

Good luck... I hope things turn out for the best.

I'm not much of a religious man, but I'll be saying a prayer for you.

Take care,
Mike

 

[Brasil_66_Fan]

i think my favorite sergio moment is when
the song "for me" changes into the sublime chorus
from the bossa nova verse

it always gives me chills

and the fadeout with that organ

it just don't get no better

Very well put - although difficult to pick a favorite, it's gotta be in the top 5 'for me'....


And I also add my good wishes to Jon, hoping things go well for him....

 

[mavos]

Hi all again!

Hmmm... let me think.

I have been listening to and re-listening to all of the SM&B'66 songs this summer and I must say that the sounds that "send me" completely would be the following:

Lani Hall's voice.

Sergio's genius in creation.

Sergio's cool brazilian accent.

The electric piano in any song, especially the end of "The Frog" and the stabs on "For Me"... Gorgeous!

The male and female vocal harmonies. To die for.

The hand claps on "Roda" & the song itself.

The squeak on "Triste" at the beginning of the song right before Lani sings & the vocal harmonies and piano and drum set fabulousness thereafter ending with the gorgeous spacial vocal "Ooooohhhoooooooohooo"

The percussion in all the songs, period.

The tempo change in "For Me".

The existence of the song "Gente" Chap-cha ba do ban ba do ban ba do bo ...

The lyrics from "Look Around".

The way they sing the lyric "The moon is like a tangerine..." in "Cinnamon & Clove"

The insane cymbal & when they sing "Upa!... Upa!... Upa!..." & the finger snaps in "Mas Que Nada"

When Lani & company sings the song so graciously.....

"I woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I knew
there was milk and toast and honey and a bowl of oranges, too,
and the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses...

Oh, won’t you stay
we’ll put on the day
and we’ll talk in present tenses...

Now the curtain closes and the rainbow runs away,
I will bring you incense owls by night,
by candlelight,
by jewel-light,
if only you will stay...

I woke up, it was a Chelsea morning......"

Incredible!!!! Lani sings a Joni classic... Thanks guys!

The rim shots on the drum set, the piano, vocals, lyrics and Lani's voice in "Watch What Happens".

When you hear "Yeah!" in the background when the piano goes full on "Day Tripper".

This music is just incredible... I'm so glad I've found it in this lifetime.

Did I miss anything?

Hope everyone is having a great summer or winter!

VOS