Sergio Mendes - Vintage 74 (2024) [Hi-Res]

Review by Richard S. Ginell

Mendes' second and last try for Bell is somewhat better than his first, largely due to the selection of some strong material -- including three Stevie Wonder tunes -- the return of Dave Grusin as chartmeister, and a return to some degree of a real Brazilian feeling on several cuts. The most notable thing on this record is one of the earliest covers of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Aguas de Marco," which follows the outlines of Jobim's own recording with a somewhat stiffened rhythm (Jobim even drops by to lend a hand on guitar in this and on "Double Rainbow"). But by and large, it is hitmaking time again, supervised and dominated by the heavy production hand of Bones Howe and hampered by colorlessly weak lead female vocals (except when Gracinha Leporace solos in Portuguese).The back cover photo of Sergio, with longish hair, gold chain, and turtleneck sweater, dates this record securely and irrevocably.