Brazilian music legend Sergio Mendes spins his remarkable magic on his newest recording, a bona fide classic! This is a kaleidoscopic album that underscores the maestro's ear for addictive melodies, as well as his ability to cast incredibly talented singers and musicians from all over the worldCustomer Review: a review for Brasil '66 fans
It's been around 40 years since Mendes reached an artistic and commercial peak with several classic albums that successfully mixed bossa nova, jazz, and pop music. Those albums still sound fresh today, thanks to the terrific songs, latin rhythms and some sparkling arrangements. Since then, Mendes has experimented with mixing his Brazilian sound with folk rock, funk, dance music, hip hop, and on "Encanto," some r&b. As someone who prefers the work he did with Brasil '66 to anything more recent, to my ears the album is pleasant though generally forgettable with the exception of a few wonderful tracks. Unsurprisingly the best tracks are those with strong melodies by Antonio Carlos Jobim, in particular "Somewhere in the Hills" and "Dreamer," both of which are direct descendants of the sound of Brasil '66. "Dreamer" includes both Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, who sounds remarkably like she did when she was fronting Brasil '66. This is a genuinely stunning track and easily the best on the album. Natalie Cole sings "Somewhere in the Hills" which is appropriately jazzy and is one of Jobim's strongest melodies. Other Jobim tracks include "Waters of March" which Mendes has covered several times in the past. It's a singer's song, and sounds a little rhythmically stiff here, as it has in his previous efforts. "Morning in Rio" is also good, with a more Brazilian styled melody and a nice trombone solo. The rest of the CD is listenable, but not such that I ever want to hear most of it again. "The Look of Love" is an unnecessary remake of a good song. What made the original great was a sensational big band arrangement which has been dropped in favor of a hip hop arrangement. I liked the Brazilian styled funk of "Odo-ya" and the mellow "Catavento" with Mendes' wife on lead vocals. On the other hand, "Funky Bahia" and "Lugar Comum," the latter of which features an Italian rapper doing a little snippet of "Volare," are disposable pop/hip hop songs. If I could get into Mendes' head, I would try to convince him do an album of Jobim and Marcos Valle songs with Herb Alpert and Lani Hall and a small jazz/bossa combo. It might not sell a million copies, but it would be an artistic triumph. If you're an unreconstructed fan of Brasil '66 as I am, I can recommend this with reservations. You might be better off just downloading a handful of tracks. But "Dreamer" should not be missed.
Customer Review: Summery and enchanting.
"Encanto" follows the highly acclaimed 2006 collaboration with will.i.am Timeless and with this latest release, Sergio takes us even deeper into Brazil, having recorded all the basic tracks in Rio and Bahia and finally finishing up in in California, where the studio band included Alphonso Johnson. For "Encanto" (in Spanish for Enchantment), Mendes has also enlisted the formidable and enchantingly diverse talents of an array of guest musicians who hail from the world over. Latin superstar Juanes from Colombia and multi-talented Carlinhos Brown & Vanessa da Mata from Brazil jostle alongside the foremost Japanese pop group Dreams Come True, Belgium's Zap Mama and Italian rapper Jovanotti. This international cast is completed by the American stars Fergie, Siedah Garrett and Herb Alpert who is accompanied by his wife, original Brasil '66 singer, Lani Hall. Old smoothie Mendes gets jiggy on a selection of bossa-favourites with a raft of guest stars including the ubiquitous Will.i.am and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, Natalie Cole and Herb Alpert et all... This new album essentially is a cross between Mendes' soft, salsa-tinged melodies and modern day R'n'B. The opening track, "The Look of Love" with rap/vocals by Fergie, is a deliciously moreish funky-fusion, and for the first third or so, the combination of Sergio's Rhodes with the hip-hopped production style is terrific. Perhaps this new version of Burt Bacharach's "The Look Of Love", which Mendes had originally transposed to bossa nova heaven in 1967 is the boldest track on "Encanto". This new interpretation, produced by Black Eyed Peas will.i.am, preserves the alluring melody of the original while bringing the song into the new millennium with crisp drum programming and a sexy rap by Fergie. Then it goes all smooth jazz on you. Not bad, though. Whether you are a Sergio Mendes fan especially the earlier stuff, Brasil 66, Equinox, etc or a Black Eyed Peas fan, or indeed R&B then there's something on this album to please everyone. I'd say for such a challenging album there are only a couple of songs that are just to heavy hip hop for me. The rest is a joy to listen to, if you are open minded about remixes and love to see what Sergio has been up to. This album is a grower. The more I listen to it, the better it gets. You will like it. Picks of the album: "The Look of Love", "Waters Of March", "Dreamer", and "Somewhere In The Hills (O Morro Nao Tem Vez)". Equinox Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Greatest Hits The Very Best of Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66
Spanish schools in Argentina are very common. The reason behind it probably is that of 25 living languages in Argentina, Spanish is the most commonly spoken language with more than 350 million people speaking the language natively. It is the official language of some Latin American countries. The irony is that only Spanish speaking country outside the continents of North and South America is Spain. So, Spanish language schools in Argentina are quite many in number and people prefer learning it here too.
Learning Spanish in Argentina is always advantageous. There are many good Spanish schools in Argentina and those located in Buenos Aires the capital city have added advantages.
The capital, Buenos Aires is one of the cosmopolitan cities of Argentina. It makes the city a hub of both political, travel, cultural and entertainment connections. It goes without saying that when you are admitted in some Spanish language schools in Argentina you get an add on of spectacular scenic beauty along with the course. Spanish schools in Argentina, particularly Buenos Aires and Bariloche justify the belief. Here you will find everything from opera theatres to bars and restaurants. Happening social life outside the premises is eagerly ready to keep you occupied during the learning tenure.
Studying in Spanish language schools in Argentina is an opportunity of life time. And if you can enroll yourself in Latin Immersion School conveniently located near Buenos Aires downtown in Recoleta, there could not be anything better than that. Latin Immersion School is one of the leading Spanish schools in Argentina. It's a high profile learning institute with twelve classrooms and common places in the building. To top it they have a patio at rooftop for barbecue in summer. All the rooms have wi-fi, so you do not need to plug in your laptop or PDA phone with internet connection. Wherever you are in the premises, you stay connected.
The courses offered by Latin Immersion Spanish language schools in Argentina are designed in such a way that a fresher as well as someone who knows Spanish would get equal time to learn the language. They adopt modern techniques to impart lessons. They make groups of no more than six members so that interaction with the instructor gets easier. Standard regulation of the course assigns twenty hours a week of classes leaving enough room for self study and improvisation in home.
However, unlike many Spanish schools in Argentina, Latin Immersion School emphasizes on teaching on one to one correspondence. Keeping small groups is one of the reasons. It facilitates substantial level of individual attention. With paying extra but a nominal price, students can take advantage of extra classes in Argentina as well as Chile.
Location of Latin Immersion School is spectacular. If you are a partying sort, Recoleta has restaurants, bars and discs in premise's vicinity. If you are a quiet person and enjoy your own company, then there are parks, quiet and calm custom made for you. Lines of coffee shops, sporting events, world class theatres add a cosmopolitan touch to the persona of the students.
For usual and long weekends the nearby and faraway tourist destinations will lure you towards them. For sea lovers, there are beautiful beaches on Atlantic like Mar del Plata, some 400 kms from Buenos Aires. There are Iguazu Falls, Perito Moreno Glacier and snow capped mountain ranges.
Even few years ago Buenos Aires happened to be one among the costliest cities of the world. But with the economy crash their lifestyle has become quite reasonable. So the students of Spanish schools in Argentina now can enjoy great yet cost effective food in cosmopolitan ambience of a world class restaurant.
Buenos Aires is regarded as Latin American Paris because it boasts of Europe-like sophistication with the charm of native Latin America. Number of open air cafes, vibrant locale, happening nocturnal life with portens performing salsa and tango all night. Undoubtedly you will get all means of cosmopolitan entertainment in Buenos Aires. So other than the courses, Spanish schools in Argentina have lots more to offer.
Apart from Buenos Aires, Bariloche also has some of the great Spanish language schools in Argentina. It has a branch of Latin Immersion School too. It is their smallest school. If Buenos Aires is Paris then Bariloche is Aspen of South America. In the Andes Mountains, Bariloche is situated on lakeside. A perfect destination for ski, white water rafting, trekking and other adventurous activities add volume to the language courses offered by Latin Immersion School and other Spanish language schools in Argentina.
Latin Immersion School offers the same curriculum in all its schools in each country. So there is provision of shifting base without hampering your classes. If you prefer quieter atmosphere to pursue your Spanish classes, Bariloche is a better option for you. With a meager population of 100,000, place is serene and a perfect resort town. However, even Bariloche has not been spared of the cosmopolitan wave. Restaurants, pubs or coffee shops are increasing in number to cater locals, tourists and students coming to Spanish schools in Argentina from different parts of the globe.
There are many Spanish language schools in Argentina but the curriculum of Latin Immersion School has been planned in a way that one course week has to include overnight excursion to remote or nearby colonial countryside, tango shows, watching shows in top class theatres of the world and many more. The Latin Immersion Spanish schools never let you be overburdened with curriculum. Colorful cosmopolitan life in spectacular scenic landscape rejuvenates your exhausted spirit.
Spanish schools in Argentina, be it in Buenos Aires or Bariloche, aim at your fluency and full grip on the language. It helps you get the actual feel of habits and life led by the portens. So immersing yourself in the rich heritage of the country is an integral part of the curriculum. You can utilize the time between the classes by taking tango classes and attending salsa parties to know the nation better. Latin Immersion School, one of the most successful Spanish language schools in Argentina ensures that your language learning is enriched with not only the native inputs but also with the cosmopolitan experience that the students definitely undergo in Argentina.
http://www.latinimmersion.com/learn-spanish-argentina.html
Latin Immersion School provides exclusive curriculum in extraordinary locale. It justifies your choice of selecting it over other Spanish schools in Argentina.
No comments:
Post a Comment