REMEBERING Sergio Mendes: Brazilian music legend dies, aged 83

hi this is Serio Mendes and I'm signing my the vinyl of my new album on Concord Records Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes a Pioneer who helped introduce bosan NOA and Samba to Western audiences passed away at the age of 83 as confirmed by his family Mendy was a Visionary band leader and composer whose infectious rhythms and vibrant arrangements made Brazilian music a global sensation his influence Spann more than six decades and his remarkable Legacy continues to resonate through generations meny is perhaps best known for his exuberant Latin Pop hit Mas quata a track that remains a classic and has been covered and remixed by various artists over the years he also gained recognition for blending Brazilian music with Western pop particularly through his iconic Brazilian reinterpretations of English language hits like The Look of Love and The Beatles The Fool on the Hill meny's ability to bridge musical genres helped him stand out as one of the most prominent International ambassadors of Brazilian music throughout his career meny's recorded over 35 albums many of which achieved gold or platinum status in the United States his music which Blended the cool sophistication of bosan NOA with the upbeat energy of salon and Jazz captivated listeners around the world men's influence Ence extended Beyond just the music charts as he was also an Academy Award nominee receiving an Oscar nod in 2012 for co-writing the song real and Rio from the animated film Rio his reach in popular culture as well as his collaborations with artists across a variety of genes cemented his place as a global music legend a statement released by his family announced that meny passed away peacefully on Thursday in Los Angeles surrounded by his wife and children while no official cause of death was provided the family revealed that Mendes had been suffering from long-term complications due to covid-19 and had been struggling with respiratory problems since late 2023 despite his health issues Mendes continued to perform and entertain audiences until the very end of his life his last performances took place in November 2023 to soldout and enthusiastic crowds in Paris London and Barcelona underscoring the enduring appeal of his music the family statement honored men's immense contribution to music saying sario brought the joyous sounds of his native Brazil to the world it also acknowledged the challenges he faced in his final months due to the lasting effects of coov id19 but noted that his Spirit remained strong through it all he leaves us with an incredible musical Legacy spanning over six decades and offering a truly unique sound born in nitoy Brazil on February 11 1941 sgio Santos Mendes was the son of a physician his early life was steeped in music and he initially studied classical piano with aspirations of becoming a concert pianist his future seemed destined for the classical music stage but that course changed dramatically in 1956 when Mendes encountered Jazz for the first time upon hearing take five a seminal Jazz composition by the American Musician Dave brubek Mendes experienced what he described as a life-altering moment in a 2014 interview with NPR Mendes reflected on that pivotal experience for me that was one of the most incredible moments of my life because when I heard that I had no idea about jazz or anything it was an Awakening M's Newfound passion for jazz led him to abandon his classical studies and dive headfirst into the world of contemporary music he began exploring a blend of jazz and Brazilian rhythms creating a unique style that would eventually evolve into his signature sound the emergence of bossan NOA in Brazil during the late 1950s and early 1960s provided the perfect platform for meny's to fuse the Elegance of classical music the complexity of jazz and the Infectious rhythms of Samba into something truly special