Brazilian music legend dies at the age of 83

Brazilian musician Sérgio Mendes, who popularized bossa nova and samba with Western audiences, has died at the age of 83, his family confirmed.

The bandleader and composer is best known for the lively Latin pop hit “Mas Que Nada” and gives English songs such as “The Look Of Love” and “The Fool On The Hill” by the Beatles a Brazilian touch.

Mendes has recorded more than 35 albums, many of which have achieved gold or platinum status in the United States, and received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for co-writing the song “Real in Rio” from the animated film “Rio.”

In a statement, his family said Mendes “passed away peacefully” on Thursday in Los Angeles, surrounded by his wife and children.

No official cause of death was given, but the family said Mendes had suffered from long-term Covid and that the musician had been suffering from respiratory problems since late 2023.

The family statement said Mendes “brought the joyful sounds of his native Brazil to the world.”

“Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold-out crowds and enthusiastic fans in Paris, London and Barcelona,” it continued.

“Over the past few months, his health has been compromised by the effects of long-term COVID disease.”

The statement concludes that Mendes “leaves us an incredible musical legacy spanning more than six decades of a unique sound.”

Mendes was born the son of a doctor in Niteroi, Brazil, and initially studied classical piano with the intention of becoming a concert pianist.

But his life changed in 1956 when he heard his first jazz record, Take Five by the American musician Dave Brubeck, and dropped out of college.

“For me, I would say, that was one of the most incredible moments of my life,” he told US radio station NPR in 2014“because when I heard that, I had no idea about jazz or anything.”

He began playing in nightclubs in Rio de Janeiro when the bossa nova trend broke out – and began to immerse himself in that scene alongside other greats such as Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto.

His first recording, Dance Moderno, was released in 1961 on the Philips Records label.

Three years later, he left Brazil for the United States to escape the military dictatorship, but it was not an easy transition.

His Brazilian bandmates returned home and Mendes was forced to form a new group. It was called Brasil '66 and consisted of the two American singers Lani Hall and Karen Philip.

With a contract with A&M Records, they found a recipe for success: jazzy interpretations of popular Brazilian songs alongside samba-enriched versions of the hits of the time.

They landed their first big hit with More than nothinga sun-drenched cover of a Jorge Ben original, full of finger snaps, shrill shakers and an exuberant chorus that sings of the urge to dance.

“There was something magical about that singing,” Mendes later recalled. “People love that song – all over the world.”

It was the first Portuguese-language song to become a worldwide hit and catapulted Brasil '66's eponymous debut album into the top 10 of the US charts.

On later records, Mendes perfected his blend of Western melodies and Brazilian rhythms, covering “Scarborough Fair” by Simon & Garfunkel and “The Dock Of The Bay” by Otis Redding (Sittin' On).

When he covered the Beatles The Fool on the Hill For the 1967 album “Look Around,” Paul McCartney wrote a letter to Mendes telling him that this was his favorite version of the song.

Although his music was dismissed as “easy listening” at the time, he enjoyed great popularity. He played on arena tours and performed at the White House for Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.

He appeared regularly on television shows alongside artists such as Perry Como, Jerry Lewis, Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra, with whom he had a close friendship.

In the 1970s he relaunched his band as Brasil '77, but his commercial success waned until the 1983 comeback album Sergio Mendes brought him the biggest chart hit of his career – a cover of the Dionne Warwick classic I will never let you go.

The success came about almost by chance, as Mendes only added the song to his repertoire at the last minute.

“All the other songs on the album were happy and festive. I needed a ballad on the album, just to change the tempo a little bit,” he said in an interview for The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits.

In 1992 he won a Grammy for his album “Brasileiro”, which included several tracks with the young drummer and singer Carlinhos Brown – today one of Brazil’s most famous musicians.

Her collaborations included Magalha – an upbeat song driven by the energetic sounds of Bahian drummers from the streets of Rio – that quickly became a Latin standard.

Two decades later, in 2012, the duo received an Oscar nomination for their work on the Rio soundtrack.

The inclusion of “Mas Que Nada” on the soundtrack to Mike Myers' film Austin Powers in 1997 introduced Mendes to a whole new audience, and by the early 21st century, most of his catalog had been reissued for new fans.

Around the same time, Mendes began incorporating elements of hip hop into his sound, collaborating with the Black Eyed Peas on a new version of “Mas Que Nada” and recording songs with rappers such as Common and Q-Tip.

Mendes also made a cameo appearance in the 24-hour video for Pharrell Williams' “Happy” and was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 Latin Grammys.

A film about his life, Sergio Mendes In The Key Of Joy, was released in 2020 along with a new album – and he continued to play live until recently, including a performance at the London Jazz Festival last October.

Mendes summed up his musical philosophy: once said: “When I think of Brazilian music, the first words that come to mind are joy, celebration, party… I think it captures the spirit of people in general.”

The musician leaves behind his wife Gracinha Leporace, who sang on many of his records. He also had five children.