Mendes is married to Gracinha Leporace who regularly performs vocals for her husband and can also be heard on his 2006 version of the song Mas Que Nada with the Black Eyed Peas.
Early career
The child of a physician in Niterói, Brazil, Mendes attended the local conservatory with hopes of becoming a classical pianist. As his interest in jazz grew, he started playing in nightclubs in the late-1950s just as bossa nova, a jazz-inflected derivative of samba, was taking off. Mendes played with Antônio Carlos Jobim (whom he regarded as a mentor) and many U.S. jazz musicians who toured Brazil.
Mendes formed the Sexteto Bossa Rio and recorded Dance Moderno in 196. Touring Europe and the United States, Mendes recorded albums with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann and played Carnegie Hall. Mendes moved to the U.S. in 1964 and cut two albums under the name Sergio Mendes and Brasil '65 with Capitol Records and Atlantic Records.
Brasil '66
When sales were tepid, he replaced his Brazilian born vocalist Wanda de Sa with the distinctive voice of Chicago native Lani Hall (who learned Mendes' Portuguese material phonetically), switched to Herb Alpert's A&M label, and released Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, an album that went platinum based largely on the success of the single "Mas Que Nada" (a Jorge Ben cover) and the personal support of Alpert, with whom Mendes toured regularly.
The original lineup of Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 was Mendes (piano), vocalists Lani Hall and Janis Hansen, Bob Matthews (bass), Jose Soares (percussion), and Joao Palma (drums). John Pisano guested as guitarist. This lineup recorded three albums between 1966-1968 (including the best-selling Look Around LP), before there was a major personnel change for their fourth album Fool on the Hill.
Karen Philipp replaced Hansen as the second female vocalist, while veteran drummer Dom Um Romão teamed with Rubens Bassini to assume percussionist duties. Sebastiao Neto was the new bassist and Oscar Castro-Neves the guitarist. This lineup had a more orchestral and big band sound than their predecessors. Most significantly, in the early 1970s, lead singer Hall pursued a solo career and became Alpert's second wife. Some accounts claim that Mendes was upset with Alpert for years for "stealing" Hall away from his group.
Though his early singles with Brasil '66 (most notably "Mas Que Nada") met with some success, Mendes really burst into mainstream prominence when he performed the Oscar-nominated Burt Bacharach and Hal David song The Look of Love on the Academy Awards telecast in April 1968. Brasil '66's version of the song quickly shot into the top 10, peaking at #4, and eclipsing Dusty Springfield's version from the soundtrack of the movie, Casino Royale. Mendes spent the rest of 1968 enjoying consecutive top 10 and top 20 hits with his follow-up singles, "The Fool on the Hill" and "Scarborough Fair". From 1968 on, Mendes was arguably the biggest Brazilian star in the world, enjoying immense popularity worldwide and performing in venues as varied as stadium arenas and the White House, where he gave concerts for both Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.
Middle career
Mendes' career in the U.S. stalled in the mid-1970s, but he remained very popular in South America and Japan. His two albums with Bell Records in 1973 and 1974, followed by several for Elektra from 1975 on, found Mendes continuing to mine the best in American pop music and post-bossa writers of his native Brazil, while forging new directions in soul with collaborators like Stevie Wonder, who wrote Mendes' R&B-inflected minor hit, "The Real Thing".
In 1983, he rejoined Alpert's A&M records and enjoyed huge success with a self-titled album and several follow-up albums, all of which received considerable adult contemporary airplay with charting singles. "Never Gonna Let You Go", featuring vocals by Joe Pizzulo and Leza Miller, equalled the success of his 1968 single "The Look of Love" by reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also spent four weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart. In 1984, Mendes worked with singer Lani Hall again.
By the time Mendes released his Grammy-winning Elektra album Brasileiro in 1992, he was the undisputed master of pop-inflected Brazilian jazz. The late-1990s lounge music revival brought retrospection and respect to Mendes' oeuvre, particularly the classic Brasil '66 albums. His stature in his native Brazil is reflected by "Cantor de Mambo", a song by fellow Brazilians Os Mutantes, which they regularly dedicate to Mendes in concert.
Later career
Timeless features a wide array of neo-soul and alternative hip hop guest artists, most prominently will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas. It was released February 14, 2006 by Concord Records.
The album features the Black Eyed Peas, Erykah Badu, Black Thought, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, India.Arie, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Q-Tip, Stevie Wonder and Pharoahe Monch.
The 2006 re-recorded version of "Mas que Nada" with the Black Eyed Peas had additional vocals by Gracinha Leporace (Mendes' wife); a version that is included on his album Timeless. In Brazil, the song is pretty well-known for being the theme song for the local television channel Globo's Estrelas.
The Black Eyed Peas' version also contains a sample of their 2004 hit "Hey Mama". The re-recorded song became popular on many European charts. On the UK Singles Chart, the song entered at #29 and rose to and peaked at #6 on its second week on the chart.
Official website of Sérgio Mendes: http://www.sergiomendesmusic.com
Balafon
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Patenga patenga
Patenga patenga patenga
Tenga patenga patenga
Patenga patenga
Patenga patenga patenga
To a sound that will move you
They call it balafon
No one's sure where it comes from
Some old african kingdom
Somewhere like Cameroon
Here we call it marimba
Music made with your fingers
Rhythm becomes a song
Feels so good when they play it
Soon you'll learn how to say it
You'll call it balafon
Marim-bajé, iré-shiré
Balafonjá, orin-axé
Marim-bajé, iré-shiré
Balafonjá, orin-axé
Isso que toca bem, bem
Isso que toca bem, bem
Chama-se balafon
Nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha
Nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha
Tenga patenga patenga
Patenga patenga
Patenga patenga patenga
Tenga patenga patenga
Patenga patenga
Patenga patenga patenga
Let me please introduce you
To a sound that will move you
They call it balafon
No one's sure where it comes from
Some old african kingdom
Somewhere like Cameroon
Here we call it marimba
Music made with your fingers
Rhythm becomes a song
Feels so good when they play it
Soon you'll learn how to say it
You'll call it balafon
Marim-bajé, iré-shiré
Balafonjá, orin-axé
Marim-bajé, iré-shiré
Balafonjá, orin-axé
Isso que toca bem, bem
Isso que toca bem, bem
Chama-se balafon
Nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha
Nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha
Eu quero é muqueca
Com pimenta
Eu quero é muqueca
Com vatapa
Eu quero é muqueca
Com pimenta
Eu quero é muqueca!
The lyrics of Sérgio Mendes's song Balafon introduce the listener to a new sound that they call balafon. The song highlights the origins of the sound, suggesting it comes from an old African kingdom, such as Cameroon. The song seems to indicate that the balafon is similar to the marimba, a variation of the balafon, and they both produce music with your fingers. The rhythm of the balafon becomes a song, and it creates a joyful experience when played.
The song's repetitive structure may indicate that the music is supposed to be easy and accessible to everyone. The lyrics can also be considered as an invitation to experience the balafon sound for the first time. The African influence in this song is evident not only through the content of the lyrics but also via the rhythm and melody of the song itself. The lyrics show appreciation for the African culture and musical tradition, and the balafon sound is a testament to this.
Line by Line Meaning
Tenga patenga patenga Patenga patenga Patenga patenga patenga
The repetition of 'tenga patenga patenga' and 'patenga patenga' is an introduction to the song's rhythm and melody, creating a sense of anticipation for the listener.
Let me please introduce you To a sound that will move you They call it balafon No one's sure where it comes from Some old african kingdom Somewhere like Cameroon
The singer is introducing the listener to a traditional African instrument called 'balafon' whose origins are vague but rooted in an old African kingdom, possibly from Cameroon. The music played with balafon is claimed to be moving.
Here we call it marimba Music made with your fingers Rhythm becomes a song Feels so good when they play it Soon you'll learn how to say it You'll call it balafon
In the singer's culture, 'balafon' is known as 'marimba' and it is played using your fingers. The connecting rhythm and tunes of balafon music create the melody of the song. The listener is invited to learn the name of the instrument and experience its charm.
Marim-bajé, iré-shiré Balafonjá, orin-axé Marim-bajé, iré-shiré Balafonjá, orin-axé Isso que toca bem, bem Isso que toca bem, bem Chama-se balafon Nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha Nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha
These lines continue to praise the skillful music played on the balafon and prompt the listener to recognize this remarkable instrument. The song title, 'balafon,' is repeated along with other catchphrases like 'marim-baje' and 'nhen-nhen patapa nha-nha' which translate musically to 'throwdown.'
Eu quero é muqueca Com pimenta Eu quero é muqueca Com vatapa Eu quero é muqueca Com pimenta Eu quero é muqueca!
In conclusion, the lyrics of the song suddenly shift to a desire for a local dish called 'muqueca' with either 'pimenta' or 'vatapa' as preferred seasoning. This is unrelated to the Balafon, and serves as an expression of the artist's taste preference.
Contributed by Ella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lungile Nhleko
I love this song.
thiscocks
Sweet drum sound
Marjorie James
I have question does anyone know where Sondra Catton is she has such a beautiful voice!!!
Juan Ismael Arceo
Thank you!!!!!! =)