Stillness

Sleepy Night Records

Well-Known Member
We are talking with Universal at the moment about doing a special edition of this great album with some live tracks, good booklet etc, we have asked for any other photos taken at the album shoot and they cant come up with anything, I will contact Guy Webster but think he only has the 2 photos, has anyone out there seen or got any? Also can you send me a link to any threads on this site on Stillness? Thanks.
 
Wow, I would be all over this like a cheap suit. It's my favorite Sergio Mendes album and I've always wondered about the "behind-the-scenes" aspects of it. It was such a departure from the old sound, changes afoot within the group, and it was the 'end of an era' for the Brasil '66 name. An under-appreciated gem of an album, for sure. Please keep us updated on the progress of this project.
 
The only odd picture I have of STILLNESS is a copy of an old eBay ad where the group's name was changed to "77".

still77.jpg
 
The only odd picture I have of STILLNESS is a copy of an old eBay ad where the group's name was changed to "77".

still77.jpg

I bought that unusual album a few years ago on ebay! Will keep you all updated, I love the album always beed a fav so different I got Sergio to sign it for me a few years ago.
 
Is it possible for any of us to hear individual tracks from multi-track master tapes?
Please ask someone @ Universal (the Major record company) (U.M.G.).


Has anyone been able to locate the original 1" (I assume that's the format) multi-track master reels of any Brasil '66 recordings?
 
My CD copy of STILLNESS is the first issue in Japan, UICY-3707. It claims to be 24bit Rubidium Atomic Clock mastering. Now I ask you, what could be better than THAT? :D
 
There have been quite a few "deluxe" issues of albums that weren't hugely popular sellers, and I've always wondered how they fared in the marketplace. One from the A&M collection is Michel Colombier's Wings. As popular as Sergio's music still is around the world, and with a little promotion and some online samples, I wouldn't be surprised if a Stillness deluxe issue would do very well. Wouldn't it be cool if the still-living group members gave interviews? That'd be something I never would have guessed would happen.
 
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OK Sleepy Night...here's one for you. On both CDs of Stillness I own, there is a small "glitch" on "Sometimes In Winter." It's right during the slow break before the piano solo. When Lani sings "ease my-y-y pa-a-a-ain", right in the middle of the word "pain," there is a tiny "extra" bit of the piano note that comes in there. (It happens at 3:18 or 3:19 in the song.) If you could get rid of that glitch, this deluxe release would be worth the price of admission for me just from that.

I don't know if the same glitch is on the LP version, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. I'm sure it was a tiny editing goof when the master was being created.
 
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I First heard this in 1984 thanks to a friend who had it on Reel to reel and very generously made a cassette copy for me from the reel and It was an instant favorite and I couldn't find a vinyl copy of it until 1987 and later on the worn vinyl was replaced with the Japanese CD reissue UICY3707 2002 is listed as the year alongside the 1971 copyright year and that one cost me over $50 but was well worth it and I got that one about the same time all the other Brasil 66 albums were reissued by Verve domestically in 2006 still a wonderful album and I'm glad someone is planning to reissue it especially for those who haven't been able to either find or afford it.
 
I first had it on an 8-track tape - I believe it was the first Sergio Mendes item I owned, outside of the compilation album Music Box which included "Look Around."

I still remember when I received Stillness, Primal Roots and Pais Tropical, and just staring at them in disbelief because I never thought I would ever be holding actual, authorized, real A&M CD copies of those records.
 
I still remember when I received Stillness, Primal Roots and Pais Tropical, and just staring at them in disbelief because I never thought I would ever be holding actual, authorized, real A&M CD copies of those records.
I felt the exact same about all the Brasil 66 CD reissues from" Herb Alpert Presents" to Ye-Me Le I originally had and still have all the comp Cds and the other stuff I already had on vinyl and Cds and needledrops. It was truly a Wish Come true for us Fans
 
When Lani sings "ease my-y-y pa-a-a-ain", right in the middle of the word "pain," there is a tiny "extra" bit of the piano note that comes in there. (It happens at 3:18 or 3:19 in the song.) If you could get rid of that glitch, this deluxe release would be worth the price of admission for me just from that.

Well, if I can get rid of it in Audacity by locating the small section of glitch... I removed about 32 cycles of Lani's vocal that have the piano glitch behind it, then copied the 32 cycles of Lani's purer vocal from just before my cut and then pasted that purer 32 cycles into the slot where I removed the glitch section. All that remained after that was a joint that needed to be smoothed out with the repair function.

With this fix in place, that piece of piano noise is gone, and it sounds much smoother. I still hear a tiny blip, but it's much less obtrusive.

Now if I can do that in 10 minutes on a home PC, I'm sure Sleepy Night Records can do much better with studio equipment tools.
 
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Stillness is my favorite album too. How about trying to find the tapes for the 45 version of For What It's Worth. It is a different take on the LP version. Was the 45 version out before the LP?
 
I remember 2 pics from the Stillness cover / back that had Gracinha in the picture (instead of Lani) One is the cover of the Japanese "Golden Prize". The other is from the '71 tour book (right side). My apologies about the pics, but it gives you all something to look for...

tourb71a.JPG


SERGIO-MENDES_PAIS-TROPICAL_022712.JPG
 
OK Sleepy Night...here's one for you. On both CDs of Stillness I own, there is a small "glitch" on "Sometimes In Winter." It's right during the slow break before the piano solo. When Lani sings "ease my-y-y pa-a-a-ain", right in the middle of the word "pain," there is a tiny "extra" bit of the piano note that comes in there. (It happens at 3:18 or 3:19 in the song.) If you could get rid of that glitch, this deluxe release would be worth the price of admission for me just from that.

I don't know if the same glitch is on the LP version, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. I'm sure it was a tiny editing goof when the master was being created.

Keep all these ponts coming and suggestions, we have a great studio and can work wonders!
 
There have been quite a few "deluxe" issues of albums that weren't hugely popular sellers, and I've always wondered how they fared in the marketplace. One from the A&M collection is Michel Colombier's Wings. As popular as Sergio's music still is around the world, and with a little promotion and some online samples, I wouldn't be surprised if a Stillness deluxe issue would do very well. Wouldn't it be cool if the still-living group members gave interviews? That'd be something I never would have guessed would happen.

If we get the go a head for the Special Edition we will get the musicians to talk about the tracks in the booklet for the CD, that is a must. The only person I cant get in touch with is Karen, anyone have details for her?
 
I contacted The Merv Griffin Show TV catalogue and they have only one performace from the "Stillness" album "Sometimes in Winter", has anyone every seen this? Is there any other TV shows that Sergio did to promote "Stillness?
 
Maybe you could include the Stillness tunes that were on the "Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77 In Concert" LP -- that album was never released in the US so they're relative rarities. The tunes are "Viramundo," "Chelsea Morning," and "Sometimes in Winter." They are all pretty different from the studio versions so they'd make great additions.
 
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