Sergio Mendes' Elektra years: Vote for your favorite album

[Mike Blakesley]

After leaving Bell Records, Sergio Mendes released five albums on Elektra before heading back to A&M for another go-round. After four more A&M albums, he returned to Elektra once more for the BRASILEIRO album.

While on Elektra, he explored a variety of styles including R&B, disco, pure Brasilian pop and heavy-duty balladry.

Vote for your favorite of all the Elektra albums and tell us your thoughts!

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

"Brasiliero" is such a different era (what, 11 or 12 years after "Magic Lady"?) that it's hard to compare - out of the 70's Elektra albums, I think my favorite is "Brasil '88"...but "Brasiliero" is unique and very cool; very ambitious and successful in fulfilling those ambitions (plus it's his only Grammy winner!).

JTCW

 

[Harry]

I too would go with BRASLIERO from this bunch, with BRASIL '88 as the favorite from the group in the '70s. All of these albums have their ups and downs for me, and none of them present themselves to me as a really good straight listen. I tend to play selected tracks from all of these rather than just putting the disc in the player and letting it go, the way I'd do with most of the A&M discs.

Harry
...picking and choosing, online...

 

[Aqua do Brasil]

Dear Forum members,

I agree with Harry according the Elektra releases:

Brasileiro is the most complete album from a concept point of view, although with album different Brasilian music styles. especally the tracks Esconjuros, Kalimba, Barabare, Fanfarra and Indiado are my favourites.

My favourite album from first Elektra era is Brasil'88, with my personal highlight tracks: Waters of march, Bridges, Life goes on, Misturada and Tiro Cruzado.
I admire especially the flute/string interlude at the Dick Hazard orchestration on Life goes on, one of my all-time favourite Sergio Mendes songs.
BTW the same composer as Davy and Everything must change, Benard Ingher.
Everything must change a fine version on George Bensons second Warner Bros In flight album from 1977.

All the best,

Aqua do Brasil

 

[JMK]

It's funny about this thread--I started the very same poll a few days ago, hit submit, and got the "Website not found" error that occasionally pops up here. So I decided to try again later. Glad someone else is on the same brainwave as I am, since I mentioned running a poll like this in the 2-fer thread.

My favorite by far is "Homecooking." It was a true renaissance for the Sergio "band" sound, after the studio-bound and just completely anomalous (IMHO of course) Elektra debut. "Homecooking" is a real treat from start to finish for me.

 

[JMK]

Re: Bernard Ighner. He actually wrote for several artists. My band used to do a song by him that Rodney Franklin recorded called "I've Got the Music in Me." And IIRC Bernard himself released one or two albums back in the 80s.

 

[Dave]

I definitely have to say HOMECOOKING is the best Elektra release--it smacks of the "Old Brasil '66-'77 Sound", BETTER than any of the other Elektra and even the Bell albums...!! It was the ideal place to "stop" my Sergio collection, back when I had the "complete works" in their entirety...

I love the cover and back-cover and the group photo and the song-lyrics inside the cover... Mostly all the tunes are "Home-Cooked"--there are no remakes of any 'American Rock Songs'...!

I really hope this gets reissued on CD in its originality...!


Dave

...making my SECOND "safe-return-home..."...Oh, you know!!! ..."Homecooking" on "The Hill"... neeye:

 

[JMK]

Not sure what you mean about "in its originality," but Homecooking has been out on CD for a couple of years now. Maybe you're talking about the slight change in the cover.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

I definitely have to say HOMECOOKING is the best Elektra release--Mostly all the tunes are "Home-Cooked"--there are no remakes of any 'American Rock Songs'...!
\

I know he's British, but what about Elton John's "Where To Now St. Peter".....? I love this album, but it's a song about suicide, isn't it? Always depressed me a little .....

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I mentioned running a poll like this in the 2-fer thread

That's why I waited a few days to start this -- I figured you would start it, or Harry would.

I still haven't made up my mind on my vote yet...great posts so far though!

 

[Dave]

...Homecooking has been out on CD for a couple of years now...

Actually, that I didn't really know; probably as a Japanese Import? I guess I meant that if Collectibles ever reissues it, I would like to see it with as much of the original artwork as possible; maybe NOT "two-fer-ed" with another LP...

...What about Elton John's "Where To Now St. Peter"...?

Hmmm...I forgot about that one...! Guess, aside from that track, there were no "remakes of Rock Songs", was what I really wanted to say--Sergio & Company covered a lot of The Beatles' catalog, as well, so I should have meant British Rock Songs, too!!


Dave

 

[Dave]

I think Sergo Mendes' self-titled album should come Second! I am kind'a suprised it hasn't gotten any votes... People were probably amazed to see that come out, those 30-years ago, and with a few Synthesizers as opposed to those Dave Grusin-orchestrations backing Sergio up... That is pretty much what I meant by Homecooking not having a lot of "covers of Rock Songs", as Sergio Mendes is full of 'em! "I Believe When I Fall In Love (It Will Be Forever)", "Looking For Another Pure Love", "Here Comes The Sun", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Davy"--well, they are Soul songs, but it's sort'a what I meant...


Dave

 

[JMK]

Homecooking was released by the Brasilian arm of BMG a couple of years ago, along with Brasil '88. They're each single CD releases, and the mastering is fine considering they were probably done from sub-masters.

Re: Where to Now, St. Peter? If you search the archive, I went into some detail about the meaning of this song on an old thread. It's not about suicide--it's about a Vietnam soldier getting killed. Bernie Taupin has written quite a bit about this lyric. I think it's one of his most outstanding efforts.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

While I've always liked Sergio's arrangement of "St. Peter," it stands along with "Wichita Lineman" as one of those songs that just doesn't sound right being sung by sexy female singers in a Brazilian/American pop group.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

Re: Where to Now, St. Peter? If you search the archive, I went into some detail about the meaning of this song on an old thread. It's not about suicide--it's about a Vietnam soldier getting killed. Bernie Taupin has written quite a bit about this lyric. I think it's one of his most outstanding efforts.

Thanks for the clarification - that makes much more sense....

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

While I've always liked Sergio's arrangement of "St. Peter," it stands along with "Wichita Lineman" as one of those songs that just doesn't sound right being sung by sexy female singers in a Brazilian/American pop group.

And i agree with that too!.....

 

[PartyRico]

I'm selecting "Brasileiro" for it's interesting "duality". On this recording Sergio seems to me to have one foot on the "Primal Roots" sound of traditional Afro-Brazilian folk sounds, and the other on the more "modern" sounds of say Carlinhos Brown, or Gunga (Ginga?) can't recall the spelling of his name. I always found it interesting that Sergio recorded a whole battery of drummers and percussionists (Escola Do Samba style), similar to what Paul Simon used on his great under-rated "Rhythm of the Saints" cd from around 91- 91. "Brasileiro" definitely deserved that Grammy. "Oceano" was good, but weaker in my opinion. I'd sure love to hear something new from Sergio Mendes and his great group.

 

[Aqua do Brasil]

"covers of Rock Songs", as Sergio Mendes is full of 'em! "I Believe When I Fall In Love (It Will Be Forever)", "Looking For Another Pure Love", "Here Comes The Sun", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Davy"--well, they are Soul songs, but it's sort'a what I meant...


Dave

Dear Dave,

In fact the self titled Sergio Mendes 1975 album is more or less an Adult Contemporary project with some fine moments, such as Davy, I believe, Looking' for another pure love, The trouble with hello is to say goodbye.
Its a fine well crafted arranged album, and IMHO Dave Grusin was also involved in keyboard playing, correct me if i'm wrong.

A lush album but not the one for a 100% vote from my point of view according Sergio's Elektra period.

All the best,
Aqua do Brasil

 

[Dave]

Dear Dave,

...The self-titled Sergio Mendes 1975 album is more or less an Adult Contemporary project with some fine moments... ...I believe it's a fine well-crafted arranged album, and IMHO, Dave Grusin was also involved in keyboard playing, correct me if i'm wrong...

All the best,
Aqua do Brasil

Well, if Dave Grusin played "key's" on this, there is certainly much less of his prescence than as an Orchestrator... Sergio was pretty much the "one and only" keyboardist, and Bob Alcivar did the Orchestrations on his two Bell albums, so Grusin eventually left Sergio's arrangements alone, there and hereafter... There are some pretty good "squishy" synthesizer sounds by The Record Plant and Westlake Audio's House Synthesizer Programmer, Ian Underwood, so that must be the what was being emphasized, along with the Two-Vocalist approach being more "up-front"...


Dave

 

[Brasil_Nut]

Better late than never...Brasil Nut adds his two pesos...

I went with BRASIL '88 for it's sheer magic from beginning to end. It was a toss-up between this and the first Elektra album, SERGIO MENDES, but I still went with BRASIL '88.

I guess a lot of it has to do with the production value of this particular project. It's flawless. And, with songs such as "That's Enough For Me," "Harley" and "One More Lie," how could Sergio go wrong? As a personal aside, "Life Goes On" was played at my Father's funeral, as it literally speaks of his life. Carol's amazing performance of "Bridges" is astounding. Also, I attended a Brasil '88 concert the night of my Senior Prom with my date and another couple -- most of these songs were featured in that concert. I guess you could say it holds a special place in my heart. My reasons for selecting BRASIL '88 are many.

Jon

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I like BRASIL 88 too. The only complaint I had with it, was, too many slow songs. If he'd done a whole album like "Tiro Cruzado" I'd have loved it....that song is awesome! "One More Lie" is great too, if a little dated now, but great vocalizing on it.

 

[JMK]

Miucha (Bebel Gilberto's mom) & Jobim do a great "Tiro Cruzado."

I think I'd order the albums this way:
1. Homecooking
2. New Brasil '77
3. Brasiliero
4. Brasil '88
5. Sergio Mendes
6. Magic Lady

 

[Trevor]

I chose "Homecooking", because I like the vocalists: Lise (?) Miller, Bonnie Bowden, and Marietta Azaria (Waters).

Brasil '88 comes in a close second. It sounds like an updated Brasil '66.

Brasileiro has a few good songs, but it's mostly a cornucopias of different types of brasilian music. So, with me, it's a hit and miss.

Once, one of my friends told me that "New Brasil '77" sounded like a Sesame Street Soundtrack. I understand where they are coming from. I do like "Love Me Tomorrow" and "If you leave me now" and a couple others are ok.

"Sergio Mendes" is great housecleaning music. I sometimes like to put it in when I am stuck in LA traffic. It makes the journey seem less stressful and prevents me from road rage!

"Magic Lady"... hmm... Well, Ethel Merman had a Disco Album, and KISS did too! Why not Sergio? I think he did a fine disco album, and quickly recovered for himself and his name with "Horizonte Aberto".


Those are my thoughts...
(For What It's Worth)
Trevor

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Not to stray off topic, but KISS had a disco album?! I know they had one disco "song" ("I Was Made for Lovin' You") but a whole album? That's almost to painful to think about.

 

[Trevor]

Hi Mike,

Maybe it was just that one song. My apologies...