SERGIO MENDES

Timeless

2007-01-12

Sergio Mendes does Santana doing Supernatural, sort of. In collaboration with Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, Sergio orchestrates a very interesting transgenre -- Latin hip hop jazz chorale -- CD. Mendes' jazzy piano arrangements and the Black Eyed Peas hip hop provide the thread that holds this album together with the likes of Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Jill Scott, Q-Tip, Marcelo D2, and more adding their signature licks. Very easy music that gets the fingers and toes tapping. Highlights: 2- That Heat: beautiful mix of Black Eyed Peas hip, the sweet voice of Erykah Badu, and more; 3- Berimbau/Consolacao: Stevie's harmonica in tight with the Mendes chorale makes this one; 5- Let Me: more jazz, less hop with some nice overlapping vocals, sax and Sergio's piano…very nice; 10-Timeless with India.Arie vocal; Timberlake's multifaceted 11-Loose Ends; 12- Fo'-Hop cuz it is intricate and more up tempo than most of the others; 13- Lamento (No Morro): a nice jazzy piece with the signature Mendes chorale; 15- Yes, Yes Y'All: best all-around piece on the collection…catchy bosa hip hop nova…or was that samba? Michael Burgwin