Sergio Mendes - Magic (2014)

In June 2014 Sergio Mendes will release his latest album MAGIC in Europe and Asia and in August and early September in the Americas – a collection of new songs, recorded in Los Angeles and Salvador, Bahia with a host of friends and special guests. The album starts and as well ends with collaborations featuring Carlinhos Brown: One Nation being an anthemic and powerful song, homage to global football and to its fans, with a hook that sticks to one’s mind. Simbora, which ends the album, is a very rhythmic and percussive song, that is easy danceable and perfect for the summer parties of 2014.
John Legend and Will.I.Am are old friends of Sergio and were again at hand to collaborate on one track each: the modern pop oriented My My My My Love is Sergio and Will at their best and its infectious groove will be heard around the world soon; John Legend’s beautiful lyrics and vocal delivery on Don’t Say Goodbye are worth listening to and will delight fans of both artists in the same way.
The Brazilian artists on the album are ranging from legend to newcomer, but all in their own artistic way fuse their skills with Sergio’s piano sound and arrangements to create new little jewels, which rightly have what the album title suggests: Magic!
Brazilian legend Milton Nascimiento performs his own Olha A Rua and singer Gracinha Leporace, who is Sergio’s wife and singer in his live shows, the wonderful When I fell in Love, a composition by Toninho Horta with lyrics by Brenda Russell, and Hidden Waters, a new Sergio Mendes piece.
The new generation of Brazilian singers is represented by Maria Gadu, singing her own lyrics on Sergio’s Meu Rio, showing exactly why she is one of the most sought after new artist this country has to offer. Ana Carolina’s interpretation of Guinga’s Atlantica is a touching ballad, beautiful arranged and performed. Seu Jorge is the male voice we can hear on Sou Eu over a laidback groove with a Brazil feeling that makes you move …
Connecting all these songs is the ‘voice’ of Sergio Mendes’ piano and the way he arranges these songs to something that is totally him – always full of live and delivered with a smile, like Magic the title track and only instrumental of the album, featuring saxophonist Scott Mayo.
Sergio Mendes is a man of many facets – from his work on the soundtracks for the animated movies Rio and Rio2 to performing with the young and hip as well as with the legends of almost all music genres. But he always remains true to himself and his musical vision – so clearly stated once again on his new album Magic.
The amazing artwork on the front cover of the new album is the work ‘Pianist’ by contemporary Brazilian painter Claudio Souza Pinto, whose creations have been seen in exhibition all over the world.