SERGIO MENDES

One common thread weaves throughout the staggeringly diverse tapestry of music that Sergio Mendes has created over his remarkable six-decade career: the spirit of joy. One of the most internationally successful Brazilian artists of all time, Mendes has recorded more than 35 albums, many of which went gold or platinum. He’s a three-time Grammy® Award winner, Oscar®-nominated songwriter and the subject of a joyful 2020 feature documentary.

From his pioneering contributions to the foundations of bossa nova alongside the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim, through the era-defining Latin-pop sound of his iconic group Brasil ’66; his scintillating collaborations with jazz legends like Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann to his chart-topping adult contemporary smash “Never Gonna Let You Go;” on through his 21st-century reinvention with the Black-Eyed Peas and John Legend or his Oscar®-nominated theme song from the animated hit Rio: an infectious spirit of joy pervades everything Mendes has ushered into the ears of listeners.

The Brazilian legend’s 2020 album is no exception. On In the Key of Joy, Mendes looks back the only way he knows how – by once again moving forward. In the Key of Joy melds the classic Brazilian, jazz and pop sounds that have long characterized Mendes’ music with stunningly contemporary inspirations that make the album sound at once utterly timeless and wholly of the moment.

The album was released to coincide with and, indeed, given the same title as, a spectacular new documentary on his life by acclaimed filmmaker John Scheinfeld (Chasing Trane, Who Is Harry Nilsson?). The documentary, Sergio Mendes: In The Key of Joy features music industry collaborators Herb Alpert, Lani Hall, Quincy Jones, John Legend, Common and will.i.am, as well as luminaries including Pele, Harrison Ford and Carlos Saldanha sharing their insights into Mendes’ life’s journey. The film enjoyed worldwide release in 2021 after its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January 2020.

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