Editorial Product Review:

Album Description:
Brazilian music legend Sergio Mendes spins his remarkable magic on his newest recording, a bona fide classic! This is a kaleidoscopic album that underscores the maestro's ear for addictive melodies, as well as his ability to cast incredibly talented singers and musicians from all over the world

People en Español:
Given his 40-year career, it’s difficult to imagine that Sergio Mendes is still able to reinvent himself and create a new sound. But the record-breaking Brazilian musician doesn’t seem to have any limits. Two years ago he came out with Timeless, which distinguished itself from his usual bossa-nova sensibilities and featured a fantastic mix of hip-hop and Latin Jazz. For Encanto, Mendes and his band, Brasil ’6--collaborating with Fergie and will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), Natalie Cole, and Herb Alpert--have made the perfect lounge CD, which fans of Bebel Gilberto and Céu will certainly appreciate. --Ernesto Sánchez (People en Español )

Con más de 40 años de carrera, es difícil pensar que Sergio Mendes todavía tenga la capacidad de reinventarse y crear un sonido distinto. Pero pareciera que para el brasileño de mayores ventas en el mundo no hay límite. Si bien hace dos años presentó Timeless, un disco completamente distinto a su tradicional bossa-nova, con una espectacular mezcla de hip-hop y latin-jazz, en Encanto, Mendes y su banda, Brasil ’66--acompañados de la mano de Fergie y will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), Natalie Cole, y Herb Alpert--logra el disco perfecto de 'lounge,' que los fans de Bebel Gilberto y Céu sabrán apreciar. --Ernesto Sánchez (People en Español )









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Disc 1:

1. The Look of Love - featuring Fergie
2. Funky Bahia - featuring will.i.am & Siedah Garrett
3. Agua de Beber - featuring will.i.am
4. Waters of March - featuring Ledisi
5. Odo-Ya - featuring Carlinhos Brown
6. Somewhere in the Hills (O Morro Nao Tem Vez) - featuring Natalie Cole
7. Lugar Comum - featuring Jovanotti
8. Morning in Rio
9. Dreamer - featuring Lani Hall & Herb Alpert
10. Y Vamos Ya (...Let's Go) - featuring Juanes
11. Catavento (Catavento e Girassol) - featuring Gracinha Leporace
12. Acode - featuring Vanessa da Mata

Customer Rating: - A Step Up from "Timeless"
"Timeless", released in 2006, was a welcome return for Sergio Mendes. I hadn't really followed him much since his album a full ten years before that one titled "Oceano". He used an approach similar to the Oceano and "Brasileiro" albums of the 90's. That is, utilize the talents of some of the budding new talents of the time and put out a nice quality album. On Timeless, he produced the album with Will-I-Am of the black eyed peas, and had a similar approach but more hip-hop/R&B influenced, rather than contemporary as the older 90's albums. I think the key to enjoying this and "Timeless" is to take them as they are. A melding of different musical styles and cultures. It's not like his old music from circa' the 70's. I think some people might be surprised how big R&B and rap and hip-hop are in Brasil; at least in the cities... a lot of my friends in the interior like forro, pagode, etc. but even then like hip-hop, etc.

This one stacks up nicely. In fact, I liked this one better than "Timeless". One of my main criticisms of Timeless was that it felt like I didn't always feel enough of Sergio's influence, if that makes sense. But here you can definitely hear more of Sergio's unique sound and production work which makes it feel so Brazilian. I liked the beat to "Waters of March", sung in English by Ledisi. "Oda-Ya" was funky enough, featuring Carlinhos Brown, a super producer in Brasil whom Sergio actually featured in his old "Brasileiro" cd, and was a part of Tribalistas. For some reason the rhythm reminds me a bit of Jairzinho. I also really dug "Somewhere in the Hills", sung by Natalie Cole. An Antonio Carlos Jobim staple, she did a very nice job. "Dreamer", featuring Herb Alpert and Brasil 66 member Lani Hall was also very beautiful. Another top song on this album was "Catavento". Simply beautiful, featuring Gracinha on vocals, and Toninho Horta on guitar. For good measure there's also a healthy dosage of cuica. Wonderful rhodes as expected and a very nice, easy bossa in some parts. More than maybe any of the other songs on this album, it's the closest to her features on "Oceano" or "Brasileiro". they have a near magical musical connection, Sergio and Gracinha.

There were other very good songs too, like "Acode" with the very talented (and Goooossssstosa Vanessa Da mata) and "Y Vamos Ya" featuring Colombian icon Juanes. It's a very nice album. There's much less hip-hop/rap in this, and it goes down much smoother. But I understand this might be a downer to some, and to be honest the one song I didn't really care much for was the rendition of "The Look of Love". Otherwise, I certainly recommend this. Classy guests all around bsides the artists mentioned. Even Joao Donato appears! Especially if you were similar to me with the last album and wanted a few more songs like "Timeless" and "Samba Da Bencao" or "Consolacao" for example. A nice job by Sergio and will-i-am, who I think hit on the concept a bit more here with less samples, etc. If you do get this and like it, check out Timeless and you might also like Sergio's "Brasileiro" album from 1992 as well. For another artist, check out Marcos Valle too.

In a year where we sadly lost a legend (Dorival Caymmi), it's wonderful to hear a new album from Sergio Mendes.

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Customer Rating: - Lackluster
Got excited each time Sergio Mendes releases an album as I have been a fan since his Brasil'66 days. Uptempo, jazzy, bouncy, catchy, pulsating
and many more descriptions could not describe his works. The uber excellent "Brasilero" is still his benchwork in tune with today's upbeat music. "Timeless" with old and new collaboration is also a great classic. Then,we expected more. And now "Encanto" only fulfilled 50 percent of my expectations. The first six tracks got me going, then, it slowed down after to typically Brazilian jazz/samba mood. Wow, what happened. The best and outstanding track is "Lugar Comum" with Jovanatti rapping in Italian and I could not stop tapping my feet.
What a fresh feel. Overall an enjoyable album.

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Customer Rating: - Ok CD but not the quality of music from Sergio Mendes
I've been a hugh fan of Sergio Mendes for the last 25 years and pretty much all CD's are really great except for maybe a few.
And this one for me is one that fell in the category of average to below average for someone like Sergio Mendes.
You might be a little disappointed if what you have in mind is the smooth jazzy bossanova type of music typical from Sergio Mendes.

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Customer Rating: - VERY NICE....BUT NOT QUITE AS NICE AS TIMELESS
Sergio and Will.I.Am back at it again. This album has a much stronger Brazilian backdrop than Timeless did; and the organization, content and structure of the album are a little more mature. Featured artists such as Natalie Cole, Herb Alpert, and Ledisi show the maturity and growth in assembly and production. The album is one that can definitely be played through with continuity and will be overly enjoyed. I would give the album 4 Stars. In analyzing my rating, please be aware that I am disposed to comparing this album with Timeless and I am just a bigger fan of Timeless.