Sergio Mendes & Brasil 2003 knocked 'em dead in Ottawa last July. With a turnout estimated to 9000 people, sounds like it was quite a night! What follows is the Ottawa Sun concert review by Ann Marie McQueen.
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Swinging to the sounds of Brazil
Mendes brings new act to fest
By ANN MARIE McQUEEN -- Ottawa Sun
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SERGIO MENDES
Confederation Park, Ottawa
Friday, July 25, 2003
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OTTAWA -- Confederation Park had the feel of Brazil in the '60s last night, as Sergio Mendes and his talented group of musicians took to the Ottawa Jazz Festival Main Stage.
An estimated 9,000 people turned out as the sun set to hear one of the founding fathers of the popular hybrid of Latin music and jazz known as bossa nova.
Though the 63-year-old Mendes may be better known for performing with Brasil 66 all those years ago, last night the Grammy winner had assembled a new and fully capable edition, dubbed aptly Brasil 2003.
And Mendes himself prompted many in the crowd to jump to their feet when he first took the stage in an electric-green shirt, black pants, and, surprise, fluorescent green socks.
After the versatile pianist was seated behind the ivories to the left of the stage, Mendes immediately let his signature duel female singers -- a dramatic part of his move decades ago to bring a sexy, sassy form of Brazilian music to the masses -- take centre stage.
POWERFUL VOCALS
Dawn Bishop and Jessica Taylor provided a colourful, unified front to the samba sounds, which had an enthusiastic crowd on the side of the stage swinging and dancing from side to side.
At several points the pair -- each briefly showcasing their own powerful vocals -- had everyone clapping their hands above their heads while they jived on stage.
They made the crowd wait until the show's close for one of Mendes' biggest hits, Mais Que Nada, but moved seamlessly between other upbeat favourites like the smooth as butter Chove Chuva, The Girl From Ipanema, One Note Samba, Like a Lover and a medley of Cafa Forte/Zanzibar/A Felicidade.
"Thank you so much, beautiful festival, it's an honour for us to be here," said Mendes at the end of the 90-minute show.
Mendes spoke to the crowd only a few times, at one point dedicating a section of the concert to the "percussion" of Brazil. Soon percussionist Meia Noite was delighting the audience by banging playfully with his precise rhythm on what seemed like every instrument under the sun.
Having never heard Brasil 66 play on anything other than a Greatest Hits CD of studio faves, I have nothing to compare this newest incarnation to.
But the combination of Kevin Winard on drums, Noite on percussion, Kleber Jorge on guitar, Bill Brendle on backup keyboards, James East grooving on the bass, and of course, Mendes tickling the ivories and joining in on the odd vocals, was enough to make anyone's night.
At times the show seemed just like how I'd imagine a big old Brazilian party to be, right there on stage, one of those lucky enough to be at the Jazz Festival last night had the pleasure of being invited to.
Jon
...congratulating Sergio on another sensational show, online...
Saturday, July 26, 2003
Swinging to the sounds of Brazil
Mendes brings new act to fest
By ANN MARIE McQUEEN -- Ottawa Sun
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SERGIO MENDES
Confederation Park, Ottawa
Friday, July 25, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA -- Confederation Park had the feel of Brazil in the '60s last night, as Sergio Mendes and his talented group of musicians took to the Ottawa Jazz Festival Main Stage.
An estimated 9,000 people turned out as the sun set to hear one of the founding fathers of the popular hybrid of Latin music and jazz known as bossa nova.
Though the 63-year-old Mendes may be better known for performing with Brasil 66 all those years ago, last night the Grammy winner had assembled a new and fully capable edition, dubbed aptly Brasil 2003.
And Mendes himself prompted many in the crowd to jump to their feet when he first took the stage in an electric-green shirt, black pants, and, surprise, fluorescent green socks.
After the versatile pianist was seated behind the ivories to the left of the stage, Mendes immediately let his signature duel female singers -- a dramatic part of his move decades ago to bring a sexy, sassy form of Brazilian music to the masses -- take centre stage.
POWERFUL VOCALS
Dawn Bishop and Jessica Taylor provided a colourful, unified front to the samba sounds, which had an enthusiastic crowd on the side of the stage swinging and dancing from side to side.
At several points the pair -- each briefly showcasing their own powerful vocals -- had everyone clapping their hands above their heads while they jived on stage.
They made the crowd wait until the show's close for one of Mendes' biggest hits, Mais Que Nada, but moved seamlessly between other upbeat favourites like the smooth as butter Chove Chuva, The Girl From Ipanema, One Note Samba, Like a Lover and a medley of Cafa Forte/Zanzibar/A Felicidade.
"Thank you so much, beautiful festival, it's an honour for us to be here," said Mendes at the end of the 90-minute show.
Mendes spoke to the crowd only a few times, at one point dedicating a section of the concert to the "percussion" of Brazil. Soon percussionist Meia Noite was delighting the audience by banging playfully with his precise rhythm on what seemed like every instrument under the sun.
Having never heard Brasil 66 play on anything other than a Greatest Hits CD of studio faves, I have nothing to compare this newest incarnation to.
But the combination of Kevin Winard on drums, Noite on percussion, Kleber Jorge on guitar, Bill Brendle on backup keyboards, James East grooving on the bass, and of course, Mendes tickling the ivories and joining in on the odd vocals, was enough to make anyone's night.
At times the show seemed just like how I'd imagine a big old Brazilian party to be, right there on stage, one of those lucky enough to be at the Jazz Festival last night had the pleasure of being invited to.
Jon
...congratulating Sergio on another sensational show, online...