Encanto

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.

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.

I haven't listened to S.M. since the 60's. This is a fantastic collection and I can't stop listening to it; even my teenagers are hooked. The Look of Love includes one of the lowest, deepest bass lines I have ever heard (in a real song)...it rattles your gut. Highly recommended...I don't know anyone that wouldn't enjoy this music. Totally infectious.

The CD was in perfect condition upon arrival with all the accompanying packaging. I wasn't disappointed by the contents of the album and/or package.

Two years ago Sergio Mendes came back into the mainstream with the Grammy-winning "Timeless" co-produced by wil.i.am with songs featuring Erykah Badu, Stevie Wonder, Jill Scott, John Legend, Justin Timberlake and several other international stars. That album, by virtue of its all-star pop line-up and co-producer had a more hip-hop "flava" to it.

Though wil.i.am returns on "Encanto," most of the new album sounds remarkably like Mendes's classic albums from the 60's and 70's with updated technology. It's like a trip back in time when Brasil '66 was heating up the pop charts.

Ledisi, Carlinhos Brown, Jovanotti, Juanes, Gracinha Leporace, and Vanessa da Mata, along with Siedah Garrett, Natalie Cole and wil.i.am possess the right vocalizations to match Mendes' sultry trademark keyboards.

The benchmark of the album, however, is "Dreamer," featuring the legends Lani Hall on vocals and Herb Alpert on trumpet. That song is worth the price of the whole release.

Fergie's contribution is pretty good on the update of "The Look of Love" but that one pales in comparison to the original classic.