Search - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 :: The Very Best of Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66

Fantastic album

A. Carolino | glendale, california | 03/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

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

"jet set" pop in a bossa nova style never sounded so good

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 09/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."