Sergio Mendes session on Philips

[Jim R]

I'm trying to help clear up some confusion surrounding a Sergio Mendes session that was released on Philips, circa 1967 or '68, with the title QUIET NIGHTS (Philips PH 200.263 and PHS 600.263).

01 - Desafinado (Tom Jobim / Newton Mendonça)

02 - One Note Samba (Samba de Uma Nota Só) (Tom Jobim / Newton Mendonça)

03 - Morning Of The Carnival (Manhã de Carnaval) (Luis Bonfá / Antônio Maria)

04 - Meditação (Meditation) (Tom Jobim / Newton Mendonça)

05 - The Tower (Tiao Neto)

06 - O Peixe (B. Traut)

07 - Quiet Nights (Corcovado) (Tom Jobim)

08 - Só Danço Samba (Tom Jobim / Vinicius de Moraes)

09 - Insensatez (How Insensitive) (Tom Jobim / Vinicius de Moraes)

10 - Amor Em Paz (Love In Peace) (Tom Jobim / Vinicius de Moraes)

11 - Infinity (Dave Pike)

12 - Abraço a Sergio (Eddie Higgins)

Some say it was recorded in 1963, others say '64 or '65. The personnel included Dave Pike, a guitarist who has gone uncredited, Sebastiao (Tiao) Neto on bass, and either Chico Batera or Edison Machado on drums. On one track (Insensatez), Eddie Higgins (who was working as an engineer on the session) replaced Pike on vibes. This session was originally recorded for the purpose of being used as background music for the Seeburg company, but it was later released without Mendes' permission.

I'd like to know when it was actually recorded, who the guitarist and drummer were, and what year it was actually released.

Coincidentally, Mendes' session with Cannonball Adderley (released in 1963) was also released at least twice with the title QUIET NIGHTS. I suspect that this has caused some confusion in terms of dates.

Edited November 12, 2006 by Jim R

[Teasing the Korean]

I never even HEARD of this album. Is it rare? Sorry I can't help you, but thanks for letting me know it's out there!

[Jim R]

Yes, apparently it's pretty rare.

I've heard that Ruppli lists this session as taking place in November, 1967. Most people seem to agree that this is too late, but no definitive date has yet been determined. At any rate, does anyone with that Ruppli discog know if he lists personnel?

[Chuck Nessa]

From Bruyninckx:

-Quiet nights- : Sergio Mendes (p) + unknown others

poss Hollywood, 1967

2-40723 Quiet nights (Corcovado) Philips PHM200-263

2-40724 Infinity -

2-40725 Amor em paz -

2-40726 So danco samba -

2-40727 Morning of the carnaval -

2-40729 One note samba -

2-40730 The tower -

2-40731 O peixe -

2-40732 Abraco a Sergio -

2-40733 Desafinado -

2-40734 Meditação (Meditation) -

2-40735 Insensatez (How insensitive) -

Note : Entire session also on Philips PHS600-263 (stereo).

Sergio Mendez turned towards pop/disco music but some of his albums contained interesting piano solos the titles of interest are listed here but a full listing is outside the scope of this work.

[Jim R]

Thanks, Chuck. Not very enlightening, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

Btw, not Hollywood, but Chicago, and probably '65 or earlier...

[Alec]

not sure of the veracity of this info, but here it is anyway:

August, 29th - "The Quiet Nights album was recorded 1963 or 1964 in USA and was released by Philips not before 1967, after the success of Brazil 66. It has Dave Pike on vibes, Tiao Neto on bass and Chico Batera on drums. It was produced by Eddie Higgins who replaces Pike on one track. The guitar player is not known, but possibly it is Rosinha de Valenca. I have the original LP, this is a great record (real instrumental Bossa Nova) and the only one which is not reissued in CD yet."

Caetano Rodrigues shows a real excitement about Quiet Nights:

"This LP was not released in Brazil and was recorded in the USA, February, 1963, just before the anthological Carnegie Hall Show. This LP is FANTASTIC with Sergio backed up by Dave Pike. Eddie Higgins was invited by Dave Pike to play vibes on Insensatez, since Dave was unfamiliar with the harmony. The bass player was Tiao Neto, drumming is credited to Chico Batera. I spoke with Chico Batera to bring more clarification about this LP and Chico said that he did take part at the recording session and is quite sure that Edison Machado did it. The guitar player is still unknown. Hearing the acoustic guitar, it seems that Oscar Castro Neves or even Antonio Carlos Jobim would be playing."

zecalouro reads today at BJBear71, complimentary information provided by Frank Oliver:

"Pianist Eddie Higgins was working in the recording booth at this session. Dave Pike had been playing vibes during the session but was unfamiliar with the melody for "Insensatez." The group was running out of studio time, so Higgins started the tape and ran out into the studio and played vibes on this one track. The group was Sergio Mendes' Brasil '65. Another track in the album, "Abraco a Sergio," was composed by Higgins and played by Mendes. The guitar player is unkown but it might be Rosinha de Valenca who was working with Mendes' Brasil 65. The record was issued in 1967, but was recorded November 1964 or 1965. An interesting note about the session is that Mendes was brought in to record some background music for the Seeburg Company and was VERY upset when Philips put it out later as an album. That was not supposed to happen."

[Jim R]

Alec, it was the site where you got that which started me on this search for more info.

[Alec]

Ahhh, everything is a circle!

[Chuck Nessa]

The song credit to B Traut means it was a Chicago session. Bill Traut was a local agent/entertainment attorney/producer/label owner. His son Ross is/was a talented guitarist. Bill owned the Wooden Nickel label and shoved pablum down the throats of a generation.

One night in a bar he said if I called him in the morning he could give me a phone number I needed. I made the call and received a bill for $75.

[Jim R]

The song credit to B Traut means it was a Chicago session. Bill Traut was a local agent/entertainment attorney/producer/label owner. His son Ross is/was a talented guitarist. Bill owned the Wooden Nickel label and shoved pablum down the throats of a generation.

One night in a bar he said if I called him in the morning he could give me a phone number I needed. I made the call and received a bill for $75.

But since everything is a circle (thank you Alec), didn't you get him back for that?