[AxA] Sergio Mendes :: Dance Moderno

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Rudy

¡Que siga la fiesta!
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Sergio Mendes
Dance Moderno


Released: 1961 on the Philips label

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Personnel: Sergio Mendes (piano); Edson Machado (drums); Bebeto (bass/sax/flute); Durval Ferreira (guitar); Edson Maciel (trombone).

1 Oba-La-La
2 Love for Sale
3 Tristeza de Nos Dois
4 What Is This Thing Called Love?
5 Olhou Para Mim
6 Satin Doll
7 Tema Sem Palavras
8 On Green Dolphin Street
9 Outra Vez
10 Disa
11 Nica's Dream
12 Diagonal

This is Sergio Mendes' recording debut, basically a Brazilian jazz outing featuring both American pop and jazz standards along with some familiar Brazilian tunes. One thing that impressed me with this recording is his accomplished technique on the piano--he was reportedly 19 years old when he recorded this album. Even though this was recorded years earlier and in a different style, I hear some echoes of piano stylings that I would hear in later years at A&M.


Amazon US link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000249M9/amcorne-20

Amazon CA link: http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000NDFKYK/amco-20
 
My first encounter with DANCE MODERNO was around ten years or so ago. There was some discussion on our old forum about it, and I found a CD available from some online source - maybe Dusty Groove - maybe the old Thoughtscape Sounds - someplace like that that dealt in imports.

The copy I got was a nice-looking CD package in a standard jewel-case, from the Compania Brasileira de Discos, with artwork stright from the Brazilian LP, and all of the tiny liner note printing was in Portuguese. The disc face was black with silver printing of a Philips label and logo.

The problem was the sound. Listening to it then, as now, it's just a horrible-sounding disc. It seems like they might have sourced it from an old mono LP with some wear and tear on it, then thrown some noise-reduction on top of that!

The highs are distorted like groove-wear - there are loud trombone passages here and there that break up the sound - and it's too bad, because I think with better quality, I'd like the material on this disc.

As I gave it a listen this morning, two standout tracks seemed to be "Olhou Para Mim" and "Diagonal". The first just caught my ears, and the second reminded me of something Vince Guaraldi would have done on the old Peanuts cartoons.

Basic instruments here seemed to be piano, bass, and drums with occasional use of trombone and flute.

I've read reviews that maybe a Japanese version is much better soundwise. Maybe someday I'll make the effort to get one.

Harry
 
I bought this album a couple of years ago and really love it! I'm a sucker for early '60's music. My favorite track is ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET, although LOVE FOR SALE and WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE rank pretty highly, too.

My CD is an import, I think from Japan...it doesn't sound much better than what Harry described; and it's packaged like his, so maybe it isn't. And, I'd really love to read those liner notes, but I don't understand a lick of Portuguese; and my magnifying glass isn't big enough, anyway.

At any rate, this is a marvelous effort on Sergio's behalf...an excellent debut, even if the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired.



Dan
 
I wonder if that "Love For Sale" is the same song recorded by James Last on his pop album WELL KEPT SECRET? It was quite funky on that record.
 
It's probably the same. It's one of those pop standards. I have a version by Eddie Cano that cooks (has a very "Cal Tjader" sound to it).
 
Mike Blakesley said:
I wonder if that "Love For Sale" is the same song recorded by James Last on his pop album WELL KEPT SECRET?



I thought "Love For Sale" was originally by Cole Porter... And wasn't that the song or version of that song James Last did on Well Kept...? I really don't have that LP with me right now... Seems like it would be the same song, though years apart for each...



Dave
 
DAN BOLTON said:
I bought this album a couple of years ago and really love it! I'm a sucker for early '60's music. My favorite track is ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET, although LOVE FOR SALE and WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE rank pretty highly, too.

"On Green Dolphin Street" has a big George Shearing vibe to it. Not literally though--if Sergio had added vibes and a guitar, he could have nailed that sound. His piano stylings on there remind me of some of Shearing's Latin albums. On the next album he recorded, he actually does have vibes on it.
 
As was already mentioned in the AxA on 'Quiet Nights', it is nice to hear Sergio's piano playing unfettered by other distracting elements (like Lani's voice :laugh: ), particularly on 'Green Dolphin Street', which is in itself an interesting rendition -- I have been stuck on Return to Forever's version for years!
 
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