Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian bossa nova hitmaker died in Los Angeles, on September 5. The musician’s family released a statement, saying that his “health had been challenged by the effects of long term COVID.” The singer, composer, and bandleader behind the crossover hits “Mas Que Nada” and “The Look of Love” was 83 years old.
Mendes was born in the Brazilian city of Niterói, in the early 1940s. Mendes initially studied classical piano but changed directions upon discovering jazz. He soon led groups around Rio and became part of a burgeoning bossa nova scene. He released his first album, Dance Moderno, in 1961, and the next year joined a group of Brazilian bossa nova stars for a legendary performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
In the mid-1960s, Mendes moved to the United States, where he formed Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’65. The project initially struggled to find an audience, as bossa nova had not yet broken through in North America. The founders of Mendes’ new label, A&M Records, suggested that he add two female singers, Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel. The (renamed) group’s 1966 album, Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66, included Brazilian-tinged covers of western pop songs. The breakout hit was a Portuguese-language cover of Jorge Ben’s “Mas Que Nada,” a Brazilian expression roughly translating to “No way!”
In 1968, Mendes and Brasil ’66 performed a version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “The Look of Love” at the Academy Awards, which led to greater exposure. Showcases for several American Presidents followed, as did a performance at the 1970 Olympics.
Over the following decades, Mendes found continued, if sporadic, success. His 1983 self-titled album featured a cover of Dionne Warwick’s “Never Gonna Let You Go” that reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart. That same year, he reunited with Brasil ’66 vocalist Lani Hall for the James Bond theme song “Never Say Never Again.” His 1992 album Brasileiro won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album.
In 2006, Mendes surprised many by releasing Timeless, an album featuring appearances from Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Justin Timberlake, and more. The record was produced by will.i.am, whose group the Black Eyed Peas reworked “Mas Que Nada.” The remix became a massive hit in Europe. In 2012, Mendes was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song as co-writer of “Real in Rio” from the animated film Rio.
In 2019, Mendes released his final album, In the Key of Joy. The following year saw the release of a documentary about his life, Sergio Mendes in the Key of Joy.
