“Every time I make a new album,” states the legendary Brazilian maestro Sergio Mendes, “it’s a new musical adventure.” Over the course of a career that has amassed an astounding track record of 35-plus albums made and millions sold, Mendes has embarked on many adventures, highlighted by his early ‘60s Bossa Rio Sextet outings in Brazil, his worldwide breakthrough Brasil’66 group (and its many iterations), his 1992 Grammy-winning milestone Brasileiro and his brilliant 2006 outing on Concord Records, Timeless, a Brazilian music-meets-hip hop collaboration with Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am.
For his follow-up to 2008’s Encanto, another “enchanted celebration” of the Brazilian songbook, Mendes returns with his refreshing and invigorating new Concord Records collection, Bom Tempo. The melodies are indelible, the explosive percussion is exciting, the harmony-laced singing exhilarates, and the arrangements exude both celebration and romance. “This is bom tempo music, good times music,” says the Brazilian-born, U.S.-based producer- composer pianist-keyboardist-arranger- who sought to sum up the CD with a succinct Portuguese title. “It’s all about the good times, good weather, good tempos. The album is about the diversity, joy and sensuality of Brazilian music—songs I previously recorded and some that I never have—played by Brazilian and American musicians.”
While Bom Tempo showcases tunes from the crème de la crème of Brazilian songwriters (including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil, Joao Donato, Carlinhos Brown, Jorge Benjor, Milton Nascimento and Moacir Santos) and a song from his old friend Stevie Wonder, written especially for Mendes in 1977, the simmering “The Real Thing” (first recorded on Sergio Mendes and the New Brasil '77album).
“I think it’s wonderful to see how young people all around the world appreciate Brazilian music” he says. “I wanted to create a collection of songs that are mostly up-tempo, fresh and danceable, so that young people can relate to. I wanted to reintroduce great Brazilian melodies in a different way and communicate with a new audience.” Case in point: the Benjor Brazilian hit song, “Pais Tropical,” with a rap interlude.
While many of Mendes’ friends and long time collaborators are present on the album (including drummers Mike Shapiro and Vinnie Colaiuta, bassists Nathan Watts and Alphonso Johnson, guitarists Paul Jackson Jr. and Kleber Jorge, percussionist Gibi, vocalist Gracinha Leporace —the bandleader’s wife—and songwriter-arranger-vocalist Carlinhos Brown, who was integral to the success of the Brasileiro album), newcomers are also in the mix.
Most prominent is Milton Nascimento, who contributes his own “Caxanga,” a moody, mysterious children’s song that he had only recorded once. He sings the lead vocal in his singular style and plays the acoustic guitar. “This is very special,” says Mendes. “Even though we are more or less contemporaries, this is the first time we’ve worked together. Milton is one of my favorite Brazilian singer/composers, no doubt about it. Coincidentally, I went to a show Milton performed in Los Angeles, and we went out to dinner afterwards. I told him about the new record and how I’d love to have him be a part of it. The next day, he called me up and said, ‘Sergio, I have a surprise for you.’ He brought this song in and it worked out perfectly.”
