Sergio Mendes On Jazz, Luck And 'The Magic Of The Encounter'

Sergio Mendes, shown here in August 2014, grew up with classical music. But when he heard a jazz record for the first time, he fell in love with the improvisational possibilities.

Photo: Omar Vega/Invision/AP
by NPR STAFF
September 14, 2014 5:42 PM ET
As part of a series called "My Big Break," All Things Considered is collecting stories of triumph, big and small. These are the moments when everything seems to click, and people leap forward into their careers.

For more than five decades, Brazilian pianist, composer and bandleader Sergio Mendes has been charming audiences around the world with his signature mix of pop, jazz and bossa nova. Mendes is out now with a new album of collaborations called Magic, and he stopped by NPR West to tell All Things Considered about his early career breakthroughs.

Mendes says much of his success has come through a lifetime of serendipitous meetings.

"I call it the magic of the encounter," he says: "the magic of encountering people that helped me, that support me. My life has been very much a succession of those moments. ... I feel very humble about that."

From Beethoven To Brubeck

Mendes was born in the Brazilian city of Niterói, where his love for music began with classical piano. But when Mendes was around 12 years old, a childhood friend first introduced him to a Dave Brubeck jazz record, and the song "Take Five."

"For me that was like, I would say, one of the incredible moments of my life," Mendes remembers. "Because when I heard that, I had no idea about jazz or anything. So the whole world of jazz for me was like, 'Wow, what is that?' "

Mendes says he was drawn away from classical music by the "freedom of improvisation" in jazz.

"I love to try new things," he says. "The idea that you could improvise and you have under it fantastic harmonies, chords — I mean, for me, that was magical."

Mendes went from playing Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven to Brubeck, Getz and Gillespie.

At the same time, American jazz musicians were discovering Brazilian rhythms and creating a wave of interest in bossa nova.
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