Encanto!

Sí, Sergio Mendes is still the musical conjurer he’s always been, and I’m still as enchanted by him as I’ve always been. Timeless and Encanto are perfect titles for two of his latest albums because he is both, and that’s exactly what my evening with him was like.

I went not knowing what to expect except that there had to be Brazilian rhythms, bossa nova beats, hints of Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao and Astrid Gilberto (the original “Girl from Ipanema”), and plenty of Portuguese influence, so what could be bad? Nothing. Not only was it all there, but the familiar has some new spins, including the participation of rapper H2O. That’s right -– rap. Not that funky, street-wise, self-righteous, attitudinal rap, but neo-soul/alternative hip-hop laid on top of that honey sweet Brazilian sensitivity so that the two rhythms compliment each other with the old enhancing the new, and the new respectfully acknowledging the old.

M-m-m-m. What a recipe! This was an absolutely delicious evening.

The other ingredients for the evening were equally as delicious. Percussion. Lots of exotic percussion -– all the congas you could eat, and then some more percussion. A synthesizer that produced any kind of sound you could imagine, two guitarists: contra bass and lead, three girl vocalists, and then there was Mr. Mendes on keyboards. It looked like a casual but really terrific jam session that was going to happen in someone’s living room on a Sunday afternoon.

They all strolled happily on stage with conspiratorial smiles for us that said they knew what we wanted. Mr. Mendes came on stage with an affable ambiance that immediately made him into Sergio. Perhaps even Tío Sergio. His trademark smile preceded him onstage, and all was right with the world. With his hair pomaded back, a long-sleeved print shirt, dress pants, and loafers with no socks and what looked like a tiny “soul patch” under his bottom lip, it was almost possible to smell his aftershave which probably smelled clean like soap. The vocalists had on party clothes that didn’t look at all like costumes; the drummer had on an orange polo shirt and the percussionists were in white shirts and serious dreadlocks. It was time a dar uma festa, and we were squirming like little kids at a birthday party waiting for treats.

We nibbled on a few of the classics to whet our already ravenous appetites. I thought they were probably classics for just some of us, as my memory went back to record-land; not “vinyl,” but records with beautiful artwork on the album covers of the record jackets. I underestimated the depth of respect and familiarity of the younger audience members.

Sitting next to me was this very young girl named Carly who was there all by herself because she just had to see him no matter what. She knew it all — old or new. With our commonality being the love of Sergio Mendes, she ended up being my personal tour guide for some of the new arrangements and sometimes previewing what was going to come with some of the old. Lucky for me.

The third piece began with the familiar bossa nova beat intro of “Aqua de Beber,” and then more “water” happened when rapper H2O came onstage with the obligatory baseball cap, baggy pants, etc. But H2O had a big smile on his face! None of that hostile, angry rapper B.S. He enthusiastically joined right in dancing with the girls while rapping a sort of obbligato melody on top of the standard melody. I never would have thought such a mixture was possible, but it was more than possible — it was really happening. And it happened again and again with “Mas que Nada,” then one of all-time greats no matter who’s performing it, “Waters of March (Les Eaux des Mars),” and not to be forgotten, “Funky Bahia.”

The unexpected “happened” again when one of the percussionists came center stage to move with the well-known rhythms and proceeded to treat us to a performance of “Capoiera.” “Capoiera,” as Carly gladly explained to me, is a “faux street fighting/martial arts/dance” of Brazil. Its origins are not really clear, but the best working theory is that it’s an African fighting style that was developed in Brazil, distilling African and Brazilian martial arts into a uniquely Brazilian dance. All I know is that I was fixated while watching it. This is the same percussionist who, later on, was actually able to provoke a genuine melody from a tambourine when he was at the mic, and also variously performing on instruments probably not seen outside of the Brazilian rain forests.

This whole concert had a quality of relaxed momentum and warm spontaneity that kept the audience happily engaged. These attributes aren’t new to Sergio Mendes; these are the qualities that we’ve come to know him for. His is truly a modern paradigm of contemporary musical transition and change, both of which are inevitable when this kind of genius is supported by great talent and vision so that there is only the future.

There’s a lyric in “One Note Samba” that states: “There are many people who can talk and talk and talk and just say nothing, not really nothing…” Then there’s Sergio Mendes who can play and play and play and just say everything, just really everything. So, at the end of it all, I just stood there with the rest of the audience, sated and mesmerized.

I guess “The Look of Love” is still in my eyes para mi Sergio.