Saturday, June 13, 2015

Sergio Mendes has a cult following

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - "Look Around" (1967) - A & M Records

Hola Friends,

The weather is getting warming and tropical drinks are flowing!  There's nothing like some Sergio Mendes to spruce up some fancy patio cocktails!

Look Around is the third album by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and probably represents the band at their peak. It features Mendes as organist and arranger, jazzman John Pisano on guitar, Bob Matthews on bass, Joao Palma & Jose Soares providing the drums and percussion, and the dynamic duo of Janis Hansen and Lani Hall (aka Mrs. Herb Alpert) sharing vocal duties.   Its an album full of upbeat, user-friendly bossanova favorites that pairs perfectly with a tall and frosty caipirinha.  

There's a swinging, Brazilian bachelor pad cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends"; a snappy version of Gilberto Gil's "Roda"; an english version ("Like A Lover") of the Brazilian standard, "O Cantador"; a tropicalia take on the David-Bacharach classic, "The Look of Love"; and two Mendes originals, "So Many Stars" & "Look Around."

It feels like Carnival tonight at the Vinyl in the Valley headquarters!  Now if I could just figure out how to give myself a Brazilian wax... 

RATING: 3.5 like a lover the river wind sighs and ripples its fingers through your hair out of 5 

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