Summer came early to the capital, thanks to a bright and breezy performance by Sérgio Mendes on Friday night.
The Brazilian legend – performing here for the first time, as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival – enchanted the crowd with an effervescent set soaked in the tropical rhythms of his homeland, from bossa nova to samba.
With cultural exchange being one of the pillars of the festival, Mendes presented his gig as a “journey into Brazilian music”.
However, for those familiar with his oeuvre, it was a well-rounded set filled with favourites and a smattering of new tracks from his latest album Magic.
Backed by a nine-piece band, including three female vocalists and a cameo appearance by a rapper, Mendes – who was seated behind the keyboards – began with the energetic one-two punch of Magalenha and Simbora.
Taken from his acclaimed 1992 comeback album Brasilero, the former is a propulsive track that had Mendes and the singers almost scatting their way over the Bahian percussions.
Simbora, from Magic, was all about that fat samba beat that couldn't help but inspire some shoulder shimmies from the seated crowd.
However, all that energy was nearly derailed by heavy distortive cracks from the venue’s speakers – the first of three such incidents during the show.
The medleys were a hallmark of Mendes's set – they were used to illustrate his musical progression throughout his five-decade career and showcase the varied styles of Brazilian music.
With the combo of Ela é Carioca and The Girl from Ipanema we were transported to the Copacabana beach. Mendes was playful on the piano here, with the hazy melodies enhancing the sun-kissed vibe. The only missing element was the horn section, which sadly did not travel with Mendes on this trip.
After another foray into his latest album with the hip-hop influenced Sou Eu, which was led by the rapper H2O, Mendes returned with the vintage triple-whammy of Consolação, Berimbau and Promessa de Pescador (Promise of a Fisherman).
It was here that you got a glimpse of Mendes’s under-appreciated role as musical arranger.
Consolação was driven by a steady mesmeric melody, while in Promessa de Pescador, Mendes dressed up his take on the late Bahian Dorival Caymmi's folk song with shuffling rhythms while preserving the lilting melodies.
Perhaps it was the stuffy atmosphere of Emirates Palace auditorium, more suited to orchestras than party music, that affected the band towards the end.
The last batch of tracks came across as rather tired, the most glaring example of which was The Look of Love. The bossa nova staple is meant to be a high point in any Mendes gig – here it seemed rather soulless.
Fortunately, the crowd dropped all decorum and stood up to dance as they helped Mendes round off the night with the rousing Pais Tropical and Tristeza.
[ sasaeed@thenational.ae ]
