Sérgio Mendes, a singer and composer who helped popularize the bossa nova music of his native Brazil, died Thursday in Los Angeles, his household shared in a press release with CNN.
Mendes was 83.
“His spouse and musical accomplice for the previous 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his facet, as had been his loving youngsters,” the household’s assertion learn.
They added that he had just lately been combating the results of long-term Covid.
Mendes recorded greater than 35 albums over the course of his six-decade profession. He final carried out to crowds in Paris, London and Barcelona in 2023.
“There’s a phrase in English that I really like: serendipity,” a quote from Mendes on his web site reads. “That’s the story of my life.”
Mendes was born in Niteroi, Brazil in 1941. He studied classical music in his youth and developed an affinity for jazz music after listening to a Dave Brubeck report, in accordance with his web site.
He started taking part in in trios and quartets earlier than transferring to United States along with his group Brasil ’66. Their Portuguese-language single “Mas Que Nada” introduced them success, together with the graceful hit “The Look of Love.”
Mendes collaborated with a star-studded listing of artists over time, like Herb Albert, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach and Stevie Surprise. A few of his different memorable songs embrace “Scarborough Truthful,” “Night time and Day,” and “By no means Gonna Let You Go.”
Sergio Mendes: In The Key of Pleasure (Promo Trailer)Video Sergio Mendes: In The Key of Pleasure (Promo Trailer)
The 2020 documentary “Sergio Mendes: Within the Key of Pleasure” explored his profession and work with different modern artists, together with will.i.am, Frequent and John Legend. Mendes and Legend obtained a 2012 Oscar nomination for greatest authentic music for “Actual in Rio” from the animated movie “Rio.”
Mendes mirrored on his profession longevity and lots of musical partnerships in a 2020 interview with NPR.
“I’ve been very lucky to have had such experiences as a result of that has enriched my life. Working with totally different individuals from totally different nations, from totally different cultures, I feel it simply helps you develop and study new issues. … I really like that since you don’t program that; it’s in regards to the magical encounter,” Mendes stated. “I feel it’s a ravishing factor in life.”
This story has been up to date.