Musician Sergio Mendes, who introduced Brazilian bossa nova rhythms to international audiences in the 1960s, has died of health problems related to a long-term COVID-19 infection. The Brazilian artist was 83.
“Sergio Mendes passed away peacefully on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his wife and children,” his family said in a statement, adding that “his health had been affected in recent months by the effects of a long-term illness, COVID.”
Following the news of the artist's death, other prominent Brazilian musicians paid tribute to their friend. “Rest in peace, beloved genius,” legendary singer Milton Nascimento wrote on Instagram. “We shared many years of friendship, partnership and music together. He will be with me forever, in my heart,” Nascimento added.
Another esteemed Brazilian musician, Joao Bosco, said that it was a loss not only of a great musician, pianist and arranger, but also of a great “thinker of Brazilian music”.
The spectacular success started with one song
Mendes achieved international success in 1966 with the group he founded Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66 thanks to the famous adaptation of the song by Jorge Ben Sora “Mas Que Nada”.
He has recorded over 35 albums and toured with major American artists such as Frank Sinatra.
Throughout his career, Mendes has skillfully combined samba, jazz, Californian pop rhythms with bossa nova vocal sections. “The roots of my music are in Brazil. In our country, we have a beautiful cultural and musical diversity, including the music of Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, classical music and the rhythms of Africa,” he said in an interview with AFP in 2014.
Mendes won a Grammy Award in 1992 for his album “Brasileiro” and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song – “Real in Rio” from the animated film “Rio.”
The Brazilian musician last performed in November 2023 in concert halls in Paris, London and Barcelona.
Main image source: Roland Popp/PAP/EPA