Customer Reviews

The Very Best of Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66

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This CD is a timeless, time-capsule treasure trove of pure pop pleasure. Sergio Mendes is a bossa nova Bacharach - not just because he covered both types of music, but because he shares whith the American an interest in revivifying the aesthetic of Tin Pan Alley, tempering it with a 60s pop melancholy (both especially cherish the inherent sadness of brass), and, in Mendes' case, cooling it with jazz discipline gleaned from his association with Jobim. The half century of melodic miracles on this CD may be divided into three types:

1. Cover versions of pop standards so annoyingly familiar you never want to hear the originals again. Mendes takes songs by the likes of the Beatles, Bacharach, Jimmy Webb and Simon & Garfunkel, re-arranges and re-imagines them in a samba mode, convincing you that they were originally written in Brazil after all. 'The Fool On The Hill' nearly collapses under its visionary excess; 'Day Tripper' becomes alive through slick jazz rhythms; 'What The World Needs Now' throttles at a frightening pace; 'Cheslea Morning' and 'Night and Day' exude sunny Rio rays; 'Norwegian Wood' brings out the yo-yo intensity buried in the original.

2. Arrangements of bossa nova classics by Mendes' old jamming cohorts. These are less radical than the above, and the attempts by anonymous, if proficient, session singers to replicate the idiosyncratic Astrud/Joao vibe don't always work; but the subtle reworkings offer new takes on old favourites - 'Bim Bom' is especially definitive, Mendes mining the wistfulness in the most frivolous of songs, sensing the music's soul in the piano. 'One Note Samba', which segues here into 'Spanish Fly', shouln't work, and doesn't, but is invigorating nonetheless.

3. Less familiar covers and original songs (written by Mendes and friends), which rarely equal the emotional depth of Jobim or Bonfa, but offer groovy bliss, warm generosity, bouyant fun and reflective sorrow in equal measures. 'Sometimes In Winter' is a pretentious epic with the most glorious melodic bridge; 'Pretty World' is one of the few songs that knows what being rapturously in love actually sounds like; 'Cancao Do Nosso Amor' and 'Pradizer Adeus' know the same despondancy that provoked Jobim's 'Insensatez'.

This division is, of course, arbitrary and artificial - unique production, settings and instrumentation mean each and every song sounds like a Mendes original. Cosmo Kramer was right - some people can still go wild for Sergio Mendes.

Of all the other compilations of Brasil 66 & 77, this 2 disc set covers all the different styles and the full range of evolution they explored. I used to own all their albums, losing interest after Primal Roots but this brought it all back home!!

Being that I am a die-hard fan of Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66, this CD reflects the vast majority of MY favorite tunes. Listening to Lani Hall's (lead vocalist) voice is like listening to a lifetime of beautiful sounds in my head.
I first heard Sergio Mendes when I was 19 or 20 years of age. I lived in an area ( Memphis Tennessee) that was heavily populated with rhythm and blues and rock & roll, so when I heard the bossanova latin beat I went rushing to Sears & Roebuck to purchase the beginning of great music and great arrangements. So, indeed I am delighted to once again purchase a great sound. Thank You Amazon.com!

I just recently discovered Brasil '66 when I heard "Pretty World" on a jazzy oldies type station. I knew instantly that the singer was someone special & a master singer. Now I'm listening to many of their songs and I never get tired of them. Their music is just pure, clean, good, real music! It is free from technical gimmicks or anything heavy or unnecessary. Their music is so happy, innocent, and fun. I LOVE IT. I can't get enough of it! They're definitely my favorite right now. The best thing about Brasil '66 is Lani Hall. What a great singer she is. Also the jazzy bossanova instrumentals are refreshingly different from anything I've listened to before. I'm looking forward to getting better hi-fi equipment so I can hear them in all their glory. I bet they sound really great on a tube stereo system.

Sergio Mendes was a talented genius; and when he teamed up with others to form Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 they made incredibly fine, easy listening bossa nova music that stands the test of time with a vengeance! Lani Hall, the lead singer, does a magnificent job of making this all so very special. These songs remain every bit as wonderful and entertaining today as they were when they were originally released. In addition, the quality of the sound on this two CD set is excellent and I like that artwork, too.

This two CD set boasts a total of 48 tracks; and it's tough to single out any set of them as being great; they all get the royal treatment from these fine artists! On the first CD, "Mas Que Nada" just plain sounds good; the vocals and the music fit together brilliantly to make this a strong starter song for the two CDs. "Viola" is very well done; and I love their cover of "With a Little Help from My Friends." "With a Little Help from My Friends" features Sergio Mendes and his peers squarely front and center--which is right where they belonged and still belong! I love it. "Wichita Lineman" stuns me with its beauty; they do a cover of this with panache and I'm impressed. "Batacuda (The Beat)" has a splendid musical interlude; and listen for ""Roda" which they perform to perfection--and beyond!

"Fool on the Hill" is yet another wonderful cover of a Beatles song; I would like to think that The Beatles would have approved of this cover of their tune! "You Stepped Out of a Dream" is most romantic and I really like the musical arrangement for "Moanin.'" "Cinnamon and Clove" has Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 doing this without ever letting go of a single superfluous note--terrific! "Like a Lover" is nothing short of brilliant--this music is all THAT good. In addition, "Ye-Me-Le" shines bright when Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 deliver this faultlessly. "Viramundo" makes excellent use of the percussion and this all holds its own very well.

The second CD continues to give us beautiful music. "Wave" is simply gorgeous; I could never tire of hearing Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 do "Wave." They also put their own stamp on "What the World Needs Now" by playing with tempo and keys and it works! "Lost in Paradise" is another fantastic highlight of the second CD; this gets a very sensitive treatment. "Night And Day" proves they can handle even a Cole Porter tune; and I like their rendition of "Scarborough Fair." "The Look of Love" is very elegant; and their medley of "One Note Samba" and "Spanish Flea" works even though I wasn't initially sure that it would sound good--but these greats make it all shine! "Agua de Beber" is beautiful Brazilian boss nova music; and "Canção Do Nooso Amor" completely charms me. What a special song this is!

"Bim Bom" is very good; and listen for yet another gem in "So Danço Samba" which they perform without ever missing a beat! "Constant Rain (Chove Chuva)" is very passionate and full of genuine feeling; and the second CD ends very nicely with Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 performing "Pradizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye)."

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 made some of the most beautiful easy listening bossa nova music I've ever heard; and I highly recommend this for their fans. Lani Hall carries the lead vocals flawlessly. People just discovering this group should consider this an excellent introduction to their magical talent.

have been an avid fan of bossa nova music for years... and sergio mendes has always an amazing musician! love this album a lot!

this album is amazing. retro, spicy and just flat out good.

Contains about 80% of their entire output from the 1960's. If you need a change of pace recording this one will sweep you away. Many top 40 hits here. Remakes of Beatles classics,Fool on the Hill,Day Tripper,With A Little Help From My Friends,Norweign Wood. Out of this world Scarborough Fair,Going Out Of My Head,Wichita Lineman,Nite and Day,The Look Of Love,Chelsea Morning,For What It's Worth,What the World Needs Now,Easy To Be Hard,Sometimes in Winter all heavy radio play. Then there is the Portugese Bossa
Novas and Sambas. Every cut is well thought out to the very last note. Lani Hall's vocals perfection.
One night Johnny Carson had them on for a half hour,blew everyone's mind. Also recommended, Brazil 65, Wanda de Sah singing beautifully. Go ahead emerse yourself in the afterglow of the 60's.

This is a great collection of the Brasil'66 recordings. I have been a fan since I first heard them on AM radio back in the late sixties during their heyday. I have all the lp records and the remastered cd's.
This collection highlights all the albums except that only two selections are available from "Fool On The Hill" and that is disappointing. That album has some great gems such as "Upa,Neguinho" and "Laia Ladaia", both of which I feel should have been included. A couple of selections that I felt could have been left off are "Stillness" and "Righteous Life." I was not too enamored of the album "Stillness" but several selections of that album are good standouts and they are included in this collection.
My favorite two albums of Brasil'66 are "Look Around" and "Crystal Illusions" and both are well represented. The title cut from "Crystal Illusions" is also missing and that is a loss.
This is a good purchase for new fans and long time ones as well.
Sergio Mendes and Brasil'66 deserve a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

An extraordinary collection of the music of Sergio Mendes & the beautiful vocals of Lani Hall on a great 2 disc set. This collection representing 20+ years of Brazilian pop/jazz has an amazing array of talented contributors, both as writers & performers.