Sergio Mendes, Iconic Brazilian Musician, Passes Away at 83

Sergio Mendes Leaves a Lasting Legacy

Sergio Mendes, the celebrated Brazilian musician whose 1966 hit Mas Que Nada made him a global superstar and helped launch a long, Grammy-winning career, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83. The death on Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter, and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family on Friday. “His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children,” the statement said.

A Journey Through Brazilian Music

Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold-out and wildly enthusiastic crowds in Paris, London, and Barcelona. Born in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Mendes studied classical music at a conservatory before joining jazz groups. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he began playing Bossa Nova as the genre warmed to the nightclub scene in Rio, collaborating with greats like Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto.

In 1962, he traveled to New York for a Bossa Nova festival at Carnegie Hall, where Cannonball Adderley invited Mendes to collaborate on an album. This led to Mendes' first American record, The Swinger From Rio. Two years later, Mendes formed Brazil '64, which evolved into Brazil '66 after he added two female vocalists. The group’s debut album featured Mas Que Nada, sung entirely in Portuguese, a mid-tempo Samba that Mendes gave a jazzy feel.

The Impact of Sergio Mendes

Mendes was a key figure in the Brazilian music boom of the 1960s. His version of Mas Que Nada became a worldwide hit, credited with sustaining interest in Brazilian sounds. In 2006, a modern rendition topped charts, performed by the Black Eyed Peas. Mendes won a Grammy in 1992 and received multiple other accolades, including an Oscar nomination for Real In Rio.

“Brazilian soul was there,” pianist Marcos Valle said, noting Mendes' role in opening doors for Brazilian artists globally.

The family will announce funeral and memorial services at a later date. For more details, please visit the source.