Sergio Mendes & Brasil 2000

A&M Corner's contributors report on the August 2000 Sergio Mendes concerts. A few of our regulars have seen Sergio's latest gigs, and we're pleased to present reports from two avid Mendes Fans...our resident "Brasil Nut" Jon Skinner, and IRS Corner proprietor Bill Gowdy. (Both originally posted in our A&M Corner Forum.) Photos at the end of this interview are from the San Diego concert, courtesy of Steve Sidoruk.

Anaheim, CA (August 19, 2000)
By "Brasil Nut" (aka Jon Skinner)

What a magical night!

Sergio has combined some of the greatest musicians and singers with Brasil 2000 - the newest incarnation of his band.

The show opened with a wonderful chant sung by two of his musicians. I'm not sure what it was, but I hope he records this song! From here, the group swung into "Rio de Janeiro" with verve and vivacity, followed by a couple of songs from OCEANO.

The combination of Gracinha Leporace, Carol Rogers and Frances Benitez is exquisite. Among the songs covered were "Voce Abusou", a new, upbeat version of "Aquas de Marco" sung by Carol and Gracinha, a beautiful new version of "A Felicidade", and "Anos Dourados" which Gracinha sung to Sergio. Gracinha was animated and garnered more than a few raves from the audience. Sergio explained that "Anos Dourados" means "the Golden Years" making the ballad a touching tribute to their love and admiration for one another.

As for the band - they are the greatest combination of musicians that Sergio has toured with in a long, long time. With the addition of Steve Balanione, a talented flautest and sax player, the sound of Brasil 2000 is fresh and exciting. Sergio is bringing Brasil 2000 into the Millenium with new and upbeat rhythms, clever arrangements and a top-notch vocals. The Anaheim show was simply one of the greatest Mendes performances I've seen in years.

A word about the mood of the evening - onstage and off - what a treat it was to see Sergio, the band and singers so light-hearted and carefree. Gracinha and Carol were sensational - laughing and singing to one another. It was not unusual to see them bow to one another when a solo was due. Frances, being the newest member of BRASIL 2000, is the spitting image of Paula Abdul - her voice strong and clear. Sergio smiled, laughed and danced his way through the performance.

Last night was a treat for all who were blessed to have attended this event. I'm certain that our Corner friends will have a marvelous time with Sergio and the band in San Diego this evening. I'm glad that BRASIL 2000 has come to light... Sergio has some exciting tricks up his sleeve... Brasil 2001 anybody?

Jon... the "Brasil 2000 Nut"

San Diego, CA (August 20, 2000)
By Bill Gowdy

I just returned from seeing Sergio Mendes & Brasil 2000. It was a terrific show! I was also fortunate enough to meet up with Steve Sidoruk and we both managed to get backstage and -- well, more on that later... Let's start at the beginning!

As most of you know I am a Naval Reservist and Sunday was a Reserve day for me. I managed to get home by 5PM, get a little yard work done (cleaning up after the guys rebuilding our front yard) and took a nice cool shower (it's 100+ out here). For some reason I thought the concert started at 8:30, probably because they told me the lead act doesn't go on until then. Anyway I was planning on leaving at 7PM to get there early in hopes of find some pre-concert autograph action or meeting up with Mr Sidoruk. Imagine my shock when I took a look at my ticket and saw that the concert started at 7:30!!! Holy Cow!!! If I left right then and there, maiking every green light, I'd arrive just at 7:30. So I quickly grabbed the few items I felt were most worthy of autographs and raced to the car, kssing the wife (who wasn't interested in going) and kids good-bye on the way out.

I managed to arrive at Humphrey's at 7:30 (and that was with a stop for gas!) but finding parking and hiking to the venue got me to my seat (row 18, not too close but not too far) at 7:45, during the opener's second tune.

Opening act Henry Kapono (of Cecelio & Kapono) play a tight decent set of hawaiian tunes and a cover of a Don Henley tune. Not being familioaar with C&K or hawaiian music in general, I was happy to find myself tapping my feet and swaying to the beat. Like Sergio, Kapono is without a label and they were selling their self produced CD at the venue.

At 8:15 their set ended and the roadies began prepping the stage for Sergio... A quick stroll to the snack bar for a Coke ran me into one of the couples whose wedding I videotaped two years ago. We talked and discussed my new job and how things were going with them, all the while I was keeping my eye peeled for Steve Sidoruk, who I only knew as a voice on the phone in 1990 and the pictures in the Rogues' Gallery. Sure enough I spotted him with an "excuse me... Steve Sidork?" and we immediately started talking A&M, the way only we obsessed types could... I'm sure LPJim, Harry and Neil can understand! ANyway, before we could get too deepin conversation the music from the stage began to play so we quickly agreed to meet up front after the show to attempt to get backstage...

Those who are more devoted fans of Sergio than I am (Paula, Harry, MikeB) will have to forgive me for not recognizing many of the tunes. I did manage to jot down the ones I DID recognize, but my review will cover the whole show. Just shoot me for not knowing tunes off OCEANO or A BRASILIERO! At any rate Steve said it was virtually the same show they did last year in the same sequence so...

The band consisted of Sergio on keyboards/vocals, Gracinha (Mrs Mendes), a very statuesque Carolyn and a younger woman whose name I did not catch on vocals. There was a second keyboardist, a bassist, a guitarist and a hornn player who switched from flute to tenor and alto sax (as well as the unnamed instrument desecrated by the evil Kenny G). Three percussionists: a traditional drummer and two brothers from Brazil who I must say were as impressive as Manolo Badrena... more later on these two!

The first three tunes were from OCEANO, and album I am not that familiar with. A fairly long instrumental intro allowed Sergio and the three vocalists to be introduced. After the third song Sergio explained that while the first three tunes were from OCEANO what he planned to do was "go back because everyone wants to go back in time. The next three tunes are from one of our most famous Brazilian composers, Mr Antonio Carlos Jobim.." The first was "Anos Doritos" (at least that what it sounded like Sergio said... I think it translates into "Year of the Cornchip") followed by a tune I did not recognize, though it was a terrific tune, more or less a laundry list of items sung in that unmistakeable Jobim/Brasil style. The last of the three-tune set was "One Note Samba/Spanish Flea"...

Seventh was Jorge Ben's "Chove Chuva," better known to us US fans as "Constant Rain." Next was "Upa Neguinho" which Sergio said, with a smile, was untranslatable into English (note to self, why didn't you ask Sergio for his take on the "Mas" v "Mais" contoversy?) Next up "So Many Stars" sung by Carolyn.

Next came what to me was a highlight. Aside from "the hits" I've always loved "Promise of a Fisherman" from PRIMAL ROOTS. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when Sergio announced, "Next we're going to do a ballad, a traditional Brazillian ballad based on a fisherman's chant..." and they proceded to play "Promise..."

Sadly, I did not recognize the next three tunes, the third of which had Sergio and the ladies leaving the stage to let the instrumentalists solo. It was here that the percussion brothers really shined. They played the cow bell like nothing I've ever seen. Sure, it sounds weird to hear someone rave about "the cowbell player" but this guy WAS impressive. I say he waqs hitting alternately between the two bells, muted and open at about a 64th note rate at 150BPM. And then both brothers played an instument I've seen in pictures but never seen played (though I'm sure I've heard it quite a bit). A stick with a gourd on the end and a long string from one end of the stick to the gourd, and the string is struck with a stick. Anyway there was about a three minute instrument percussive duet of this... quite impressive. Then, if that was not enough, they did a tamborine solo. Again, weird to hear raves for "the tamborine player" but he managed to get both a bass line rhythm going off the tamborine head as well as percussive rhytms off the little cymbals in the rim and finaly a wild cadence not unlike a snare drum with his fingers. Truly impressive. Then Shamu the wh -- oh, I'm kidding about that. The Shamu part that is -- the tamborine part IS true!

Sergio and the ladies returned to the stage for a medley, "The Look Of Love/Fool On The Hill" follwed by another tune that I DID recognize, but right now canNOT for the life of me decipher my own writing (hey, it was dark)...

At this point Sergio announced a a dear vocalist friend of his who sang "my best-selling song of the 1980s... Mr Joe Pizzulo!" Mr Pizzulo has put on a bit of weight since he first took "Never Gonna Let You Go" to the top of the charts (but haven't we all?) but he sang it superbly with Carolyn handling the female lines of the duet. Most of the older folks around me did not recognize the tune untill they got to the chorus at which point their puzzled expressions and whispered questions to spouses ceased and recognition dawned on them. Naturally "Alibis" followed, though, given the media hype over Sydney Australia, I was hoping to hear "Olympia." One more song off Oceano and then the finale...

"Mais/Mas Que Nada" in a very extended version. Sergio thanked the audience and an instrumental tune atarted up as Sergio and the ladies left the stage. While some folks did leave, the crowd was on their feet chanting for more so tehy came back for an encore with audience participation (sorry -- didn't recognize the tune but found myself singing along anyway). And again they left the stage and the audience, satified, began thinning out.

I hooked up with Steve again and we made our way to backstage entrance, just to the right of the stage and began our "autograph strategy." I was wishing LPJim was with us since he seems to have about a 98% success rate with autographs, compared to my oh say 60%. ANyway, the guy giving out backstage passes (one of Sergio's sons I suspect) was more inclined to give them to females so Steve and I missed out... But as Jim advised me, "patience is almost always rewarded." Carolyn came out to look for a friend from the audience and Steve, who'd met her a year or so ago, struck up conversation and was able, after a fairly long trip back to the dressing rooms, to get us in to meet Sergio and Gracinha.

Steve gave Sergio an A&M Fan Network Card with the A&M Corner address (and brasil66.com) on the back. I had Sergio autograph the gatefold of STILLNESS (and Gracinha signed below her picture as well) and my favorite B66 picsleeves -- "Pretty World" and "The Crab." I would have loved to have brought the whole collection, but one must be reasonable! Steve and I also took pictures of ourselves with Mr Mendes and we had some other fans get shots of us both with Sergio. We'll post these to Neil as soon as we get them processed!

Sergio, until last night, was not aware of this site. Also, he and Gracinha have no idea of the whereabouts of Bonnie Bowden, for those of you who were curious. The Mendes's are still very close to the Alperts, they said and visit each other fairly often. Sergio seemed intrigued that Claudio SLon is a semi regular here in the corner, so don't be surprised if the Mendes's pop in for a visit or at least a private email to Webmeister Rudy...

After we left Steve and I went to Denny's (always open!) for sodas (turns out neither of us are coffee achievers) and to discuss the concert, A&M, and things like spouses, children and dogs (though not necessarily in that order)... I expect Steve will have fun on the balance of his vacation thru LA's used record stores and the Virgin Megastore. I must say it is truly amazing how the internet has managed to bring together fans of a given subject. Before I met Steve and Leslie on Prodigy back in 1990, I thought I was the only person who collected a label, striving to fill all the gaps in my numbered lists. Thenm, thanks to A&M Corner (formerly Rudy's Corner) I met LPJim, Randy Kosht, Neil R and so many others! I've now personally met five corner regulars and spoken on the phone with a half dozen others. Not to mention private emails with so many more of you. I've (we've???) said it before, but this has to be one of the coolest websites out there!

Mr. Bill (aka Bill Gowdy)

Brasil 2000 Photo Gallery
San Diego, August 2002 by Steve Sidoruk

Sergio Mendes

Gracinha (L) and Carol Rogers (R)

Sergio, Gracinha and Carol

Joe Pizzulo joins Carol for "Never Gonna Let You Go"

Sergio and Brasil 2000