Sergio Mendes, Brazilian Jazz Legend, Dead at 83

Sergio Mendes, the influential Brazilian jazz musician known for bringing bossa nova to worldwide audiences, has died at the age of 83.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, the musician’s family said he died “peacefully.” No official cause of death was given, but the family noted he “had been challenged by the effects of long term COVID.”

Born in Niteroi, Brazil, Mendes began playing music at an early age and attended school in hopes of becoming a classical pianist. He eventually transitioned towards jazz, cutting his teeth in Brazilian nightclubs in the 1950s.

Mendes formed the band Sexteto Bossa Rio and released his debut album, Dance Moderno, in 1961. Soon, American jazz musicians came calling, including Cannonball Adderly and Herbie Mann, who recording with Mendes in the early ‘60s.

As his star continued to rise, Medes reallocated to the U.S.A. Still, American record companies were leery to sign him.

“We’d play three, four, five songs” Mendes recalled to NPR regarding his early U.S. auditions. “No answer, nothing,” was the reply, “just, ‘Oh, thank you. You guys sound great, bye.’ “

Listen to ‘Mas Que Nada’

However, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, founders of A&M Records, were intrigued by Mendes’ sound and eventually signed him to his first American record deal. The move immediately paid off, as Mendes and his newly formed backing band Brasil ‘66 scored a mainstream hit with their rendition of “Mas Que Nada.” The tune reached No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped push their debut album to platinum sales.

“It was the first time that a song in Portuguese was a hit in America and all over the world,” Mendes noted.

An expansive career continued from there. In 1968, Dusty Springfield’s rendition of “The Look of Love” was nominated for an Oscar. Mendes and Brasil ‘66 covered the song during the award show telecast and turned it into another hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard chart.

Later in 1968 he’d put his own spin on “The Fool on the Hill,” resulting in another Top 10 single. It was one of many Beatles covers Mendes recorded over the years, with “All My Loving,” “Day Tripper,” “With a Little Help From My Friends” and “Norwegian Wood” among the others. Mendes’ also covered material from the Mamas & the Papas (“Monday, Monday”), Simon & Garfunkel (“Scarborough Fair”) and Buffalo Springfield (“For What It’s Worth”).

Listen to Sergio Mendes’ Version of ‘Fool on the Hill’

Medes’ popularity took him all over the world, and even resulted in performances at the White House for presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Best known for his distinctive bossa nova style, Mendes began mixing his sound with funk and soul during the ‘70s. He collaborated with Stevie Wonder on “The Real Thing,” a minor hit in 1977.

Mendes enjoyed a late career resurgence with the 2006 album Timeless. The LP featured many modern hip-hop artists collaborating with the Brazilian legend on new versions of his classic material. The Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake, Jill Scott and John Legend were among the guest appearances. Mendes also served as co-producer for the soundtrack albums for the popular animated films Rio (2011) and its sequel, Rio 2 (2014).

In total, Mendes released more than 40 albums in his influential career. He won a Grammy for his 1993 album Brasileiro and earned an Academy Award nomination in 2011 for the song “Real in Rio.”