AOTW: Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 Live At EXPO 70

[LPJim]

My notes list this title as both 4378 and 4387, so it seems appropriate to move on to SP 4388 for the next AOTW.
JB

AOTW: Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 Live At The EXPO '70
Released under various catalog numbers in Japan, UK, and Australia

Track listing:

Side One:
What The World Needs Now/Pretty World
Going Out Of My Head
Pradizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye)
(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
Day Tripper

Side Two:
Fool On The Hill
Scarborough Fair
Norwegian Wood
Mas Que Nada

 

[Mr Bill]

My notes indicate these are two different live Sergio LPS (neither of which was released in the US)

<- 4378 4387 ->

These would appear to be in reversed order since the "earlier" one is "Brasil 77" and the later one still reads "66", but the origination number is based on the UK budget reissue of SP4378 which gives it the UK SP series number in a "previously released as" credit (SP64378 -- UK issues of US SP#s were given a lead "6" on the other side of the pond... UK-only releases had their own number series).

SP4378 was live at LA's Greek Theatre and the 4387 was live in Japan at Expo 70. I do not have a track listing for EXPO, and surely regret no buying it when I was in Japan ($25 to 30 bucks a CD for each of the 10 A&M reissues was a bit steep in my opinion)..

--Mr Bill

 

[JMK]

As a historical document, this album is priceless. From a purely musical standpoint (IMO, of course), it's pretty ragged. Bossa Rio's Expo 70 set is musically more cohesive, to me anyway.

 

[LPJim]

Appreciate the help very much, Mr. B., as I -- regretably -- own neither LP and haven't even seen them in the racks, in spite of years of digging through boxes.

SP 4378 appeared to be a UK import and I assume neither 4387 was Japan only.
JB

 

[JMK]

Curious about the catalog numbers--are you referring to the CD of the Expo 70 album? My LP has AML 66. My German pressing of the Greek Theatre concert (with the newer A&M logo) is 87 081. I can't find my other A&M cover right now, it must be in storage. Wonder if that's the one you have.

 

[Harry]

I'll add the track listing to LP Jim's initial post.

Harry

 

[Harry]

I learned of the EXPO album from posts here back on the old Forum, and, along with others, like Paula, began the worldwide search for a copy.

I finally located an Australian version - and talk about odd, it takes the cake. Released on Summit/A&M, it has a catalog number on the jacket that reads SRA250.084. The label however gives a different number SRA-398.002. But wait, there's more oddities. The outside jacket calls the album, SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL '77 "LIVE", and shows a picture of the group from the Gracinha/Geri Stevens era. My first thought was that the jacket and album were mixed up, but the jacket lists the correct tracks for the EXPO concert. (Actually, as I type this I realize that the track listing on the jacket lists one odd track - it's listed as "Going Out Of My Mind!")

Later on, I found a Japanese copy of the LP, AML 66. This one has an ochre label, and a gatefold jacket that included a paper booklet inside with more photos, Japanese liner notes and English lyrics.

This is one I never thought I'd see come out on an official CD and was content with my needle-drop versions. Yet we were all surprised in 2002 when A&M Japan released virtually the entire A&M Sergio Mendes canon, including this formerly hard-to-find album as UICY-3710. The CD even included a rare extra track, "Viola", formerly only available on an EP of the concert.

The recording itself is top-notch, though the overly polite Japanese audience rarely intrudes upon the music, perhaps lessening the excitement of the sound of the concert a bit. Nevertheless, it's a bonanza for Brasil '66 fans as we get to hear the group in action, live and sometimes raw. The vocals were recorded with Lani fully on the left and Karen completely on the right, allowing the listener to pan to either side to get a feeling for how each of these singers sounded alone. They really had similar voices, but this technique allows one to hear the subtle differences.

Harry
NP: Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 LIVE AT THE EXPO '70

 

[Mike]

When they perform “Day Tripper” and the audience is clapping to the beat of the music, it really makes me wish I was there – it must have been great.

 

[Mr Bill]

Curious about the catalog numbers--are you referring to the CD of the Expo 70 album? My LP has AML 66. My German pressing of the Greek Theatre concert (with the newer A&M logo) is 87 081. I can't find my other A&M cover right now, it must be in storage. Wonder if that's the one you have.

The SP#s we refer to here are the numbers they would've had if they were released in the US. Deriving SP4378 from the one at the greek was easy since the A&M UK simply added a leading "6" to the US number (that was for material assigned numbers in the US -- UK only material had its own number scheme). SP4387, however is a matter of speculation and it's based on some old catalogs and pre-release materials having listed Live At Expo as having that number. Of course, we all know it came out in may places, just not the US of A.

--Mr Bill

 

[Brasil_Nut]

I discovered IN CONCERT by mistake. It was through a mail order catalog when I was in high school. Whereas Dad collected reel-to-reels, I strove to collect Lps. At the time, EQUINOX was a rarity and hard to find.

I finally found a copy through an ad for rare records. You'd write and tell them what you were looking for, they would search for the items and get back to you with prices for shipping & handling, not to mention the cost of the items themselves. My inquiry had to do with EQUINOX and LIVE AT EXPO '70, which I'd heard about, but had never found.

They responded that both albums had been located. "Send $$$ and they're yours...you can expect them in one to two weeks..."

I was excited when the package arrived. I opened it and pulled out the Lps, the first one being EQUINOX and I remember thinking, "Yes!! I finally have an Lp version of EQUINOX!!!" I must have stared at the cover for half an hour, I was so amazed.

Once the awe of EQUINOX wore off, I picked up the second album. This one had an orange cover with confetti and a drawing of two people dancing in a circle. The back had a circular photo of Sergio as taken with a fader lens; he was leaning over playing his piano. The title of the album was SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL '77 IN CONCERT.

A mistake had been made.

It wasn't LIVE AT EXPO '70. It was IN CONCERT by Brasil '77. It wasn't Lani & Karen, it was Gracinha and Geri. Back in those days, when EXPO '70 was impossible to find, I began to wonder if, perhaps, there was such a thing as EXPO '70. I thought that maybe the IN CONCERT album had been mistaken for a Brasil '66 concert.

It was our dear Paula Worhatch who proved me wrong back in the late '90s when she sent me a burned copy of the LIVE AT EXPO '70 Lp -- the first time I would hear Brasil '66 since 1970 when I had seen them in Monterey, CA. It was amazing to hear the group again after so many years. Short of the fact that Gracinha was with them in Monterey (the concert featured Lani, Gracinha & Karen as Brasil '66 -- six months later we saw the newly-christened Brasil '77 with Karen and Gracinha on vocals).

And so, IN CONCERT came into my life long before LIVE AT EXPO '70. And, I have two different versions, as well. One is the original orange cover with the dancing couple; the other on the MFP label features a sunset, a hang-glider and once again, a photo of Sergio on the back.

Jon

 

[Harry]

It was our dear Paula Worhatch who proved me wrong back in the late '90s when she sent me a burned copy of the LIVE AT EXPO '70 Lp

Yep, it was Paula who was the first around these parts who managed to unearth a copy of LIVE AT THE EXPO '70 as well as Lani's A BRAZILEIRA. I still admire her determination in finding the un-findable.

Now though, it appears that it's Paula herself who's gone missing - it's been awhile since we've had her post here. I hope everything's OK with her and her family. It would be nice to hear from her again.

Harry
...reminiscing, online

 

[Mr Bill]

It has been a while since we heard form Paula. There's been a couple other spells where she went MIA and then reappeared, but this one seems to be the longest.

And Paula's not the only one. Several members have pulled "disappearing acts" and returned much later. Dave Twogood comes to mind and several others (Stefan, Richard D, etc)...

--Mr Bill
thinking it would be great if everyone "checked in" on a fairly regular basis and realizing some, like Wendell, will never be able to check in again...

 

[JMK]

I've shared a few emails with Paula. Her husband sent me an absolutely hysterical "translation" (it was very tongue in cheek) of Lani's Spanish special. And Paula was very supportive when we thought our younger son might be deaf (thank heaven, he turned out to only be speech delayed). I miss you, too, Paula--come back!

 

[Brasil_Nut]

I echo everyone's feelings...we miss you, Paula!! Talk about someone who knows Lani's music inside and out and you're talking Paula Worhatch. A great, great lady!!

Jon

 

[Brasil6699]

It was great to get the Expo '70!

What I wonder about is: Was Karen not feeling well when this was recorded? On the back cover she looks really tired, and she sounds a little hoarse in the performance.

On an interesting note... (no pun intended)...
It's interesting to hear a couple of little vocal tricks they do...
For instance:
In "Going Out of my Head", The singer who has the solo doesn't sing the last "night" before leading into her solo: "I must think of a way..."

And in some songs (like "Norwegian Wood"), Lani sings the first word of the verse before Karen joins in on the second word.

 

[Cortnee]

On the back cover photo, Karen does look tired and weary, Sergio looks a little mad, while the rest of the group are all smiles. I think the photo was taken right after the concert.

 

[JMK]

It's an uncharacteristically ragged performance and I've always thought it's why it was never released in the US.

 

[Chris Martin]

Must say I don't find this ragged at all.
Great harmonies (though Karen's a bit far back in the mix on some harmonies). Great percussion,handclaps, piano and bass breaks. Great track listing too.
Maybe the girls whoop a bit too much at times (Mas que, Daytripper) but I'm sure it was on the instruction of Sergio.
Sounds like a smashing night out to me. I couldn't have kept MY composure in the typically staid Japanese audience, though!

 

[JMK]

I think this discussion occurred before on another thread--don't get me wrong, I love this album, I just don't find it near as polished as any of the times I've seen Sergio live, or his other live albums (though the Japanese live album does have its share of less than polished moments). I just think Karen sounds, as someone else said, tired. She's badly out of tune at times, which you can hear due to the great separation. But, yes, the rhythm section cooks, like it always did.

 

[TulitaPepsi]

The ragged, almost improvisational quality is one of the nicest things about this album for me (Though Karen is really pushed towards the back). It's right before Sergio's Brasil '77 verged on becoming too polished and shiny in live performance. I love the funky "DayTripper" ("He WAS a Day-Tripper, Oh, Yeah, He was a Day Tripper, Yeah") and the extended jams on "Scarborough Fair", and the elegant simplicity of of "Pra Dizer Adeus" is miles better than the studio version (it's also the only time Sergio credits any other member of the group - Lani -besides the finale introductions during "Mas Que Nada"). I'm so glad "Viola" is included on the CD as I think it's the strongest cut in the set. Its only the only one where Lani is on the left and Karen is on the right.

And I've always thought that Karen looked REALLY hung-over on the album pic - and Sergio was NOT happy about all that Sake she guzzled the night before. And Sebastiaõ looks like he has to take a leak REALLY bad.

Yes, I love the laid-back Brasil '66 at the Expo '70. But that said, it's always struck me that Bossa Rio (whose set opened for Sergio that day - April 5, 1970) sound SO superior - much tighter and better than Brasil '66 - on the "Live in Japan" Blue Thumb LP...and that Lani collaborated with Ottavio Bailly Jr. on the final song on that album, "Far Away".

 

[rd]

And Paula's not the only one. Several members have pulled "disappearing acts" and returned much later. Dave Twogood comes to mind and several others (Stefan, Richard D, etc)...

Oh, I've been around, just not posting. I always enjoy reading the discussions, but haven't had much to add to them. (Besides, I forgot my password, and never got around to e-mailing for a new one until now...!) Thanks for thinking of me, though. Drop me a line when you're in town and feeling peckish.

Speaking of absent board members, anyone heard from Trent?