SERGIO MENDES PROVES “TIMELESS”
February 28, 2006
SERGIO MENDES, the legendary Brazilian artist who
brought “Brasil ‘66” to America 40 years ago, has
impacted the charts again with his new album
TIMELESS, released February 14 on Concord
Records/Starbucks Hear Music. The album entered
the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #44, selling
over 27,000 copies in its first week. Timeless is
available now at traditional retail and Starbucks
locations.
For the album, produced by and featuring will.i.am of
the Black Eyed Peas, SERGIO and will brought in some
of music’s biggest artists, each a Sergio fan, to
contribute to various tracks, including John Legend,
Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Black Thought of The
Roots, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, Jill Scott, Q-Tip,
india.arie and Justin Timberlake, among others. The
collection includes interpretations of SERGIO’s classic
repertoire along with new songs, mixing Brazilian
melodies with contemporary hip-hop sounds,
described by the New York Post as a “blend of
Brazilian pop and urban music stylings works so
seamlessly, you have to wonder why it had never
been mashed before (2/12/06).”
In other SERGIO news, a June 25 performance at the
Hollywood Bowl has been set to celebrate the 40th
anniversary of Brasil ’66, the groundbreaking album
that helped introduce Brazilian music to America.
That album included the international smash hit “Mas
Que Nada,” which is included on Timeless, with
SERGIO and the Black Eyed Peas reinterpreting it for
2006. Special guests from the Timeless album will be
on hand (exact artists TBA) to celebrate and perform
songs from SERGIO’s legendary career.
Check out what Sergio Mendes critics are saying
about “Timeless”
“The blend of Brazilian pop and urban music stylings
works so seamlessly, you have to wonder why it had
never been mashed before.”
Mary Huhn, NEW YORK POST,
2/12/06
“the two prove to have enough chemistry to make
Fergie more than a little jealous. Guests like Jill Scott,
John Legend and Justin Timberlake help make fresh
takes on Mendes hits and other Brazilian standards,
as well as new tunes like the radiant title song,
where India.Arie reminds us that ‘kindness is
timeless.’ So, it seems, is Mendes.”
Chuck Arnold, PEOPLE, 2/20/06
“With deep rhymes written from a soldier’s
perspective and a pleading chorus sung by Justin
Timberlake (who also wrote the track), ‘Loose Ends’
clinches the disc, when Timeless succeeds, it’s
beautiful, boundary-breaking music.”
Barry Walters, ROLLING STONE,
2/23/05
“It’s a glorious excursion that’s timeless, indeed-and
funky as all get out.”
Matt Diehl, INTERVIEW, March 2006
“The deepest grooves are struck in ‘Fo-Hop,’ with the
guitarist and singer Guinga and the Brazilian rapper
Marcelo D2. It’s in a baião rhythm, sung in
Portuguese, with the rapid swing of the original
language, atmospheric guitar sounds and snarling rap
passages.”
Ben Ratliff, NEW YORK TIMES,
2/13/06
“Mendes and Peas frontman will.i.am blend Brazilian
polyrhythms, hip-hop beats, contemporary R&B and
rap for an intriguing change of pace. However, the
original tracks-especially Legend’s ‘Please Baby Don’t’
and ‘Timeless’ with India.Arie-are what boost the
album beyond novelty status.”
Gail Mitchell, BILLBOARD.COM,
2/13/06
“‘Mas Que Nada,’ with its festive spirit and pure
melding of its two musical cultures, was the real
denouement for this joyous occasion.”
Steve Baltin, LOS ANGELES TIMES (live review),
2/8/06
“The CD’s finest moments feel like tributes to
Mendes. Stevie Wonder vibes up the party with his
lilting harmonica on the cuíca-
flavored ‘Berimbau/Consolacao,’ and India.Arie takes
an inspiring turn toward Rio-soul balladry on the title
track. Brazilian rapper Marcelo D2 surprises with
wicked Portuguese wordplay on the reggaetón-
paced ‘Fo-Hop.’ The LA-based Mendes serves up a
lifetime of carefree Carnaval rhythms, precious keys,
and progressive timing, which are used liberally by
will.i.am to re-create smooth, blended bossa-hop.
Soon you’re floating over Rio like a virtual Carioca,
opening your mind to the possibility that Mendes has
built another bridge, one between serious-minded
jazz-a-nova and contemporary music of the
streets.”
Dennis Romero, TU CIUDAD, February/March
2006
“Crossing booming hip-hop rhythms with even deeper
Brazilian surdo and batucada, and using the layered
vocals of Jill Scott and Erkyah Badu to recreate the
exquisite sound of original Brazil ’66 vocalists Lani Hall
and Wanda da Sah. The fission that occurs when
bossa/samba flies over a bed of hip-hop is striking.
Stevie Wonder wails beautiful harmonica over a
buoyant ‘Berimbau/Consolacao’; Jobim’s still
exotic ‘Surfboard’ is given a wonderfully deranged
treatment by the Black Eyed Peas’s will.i.am; and
India.Arie sounds peacefully earthy and at home on
the heavily programmed but still humanized title
track.”
Ken Micallef, BOSTON PHOENIX, 1/20/06
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