Sérgio Mendes sent Brazil’s party spirit out into the world

Over many years he had grown accustomed to the things they liked to say. That his music was “lounge”, lift, airport, cruise-liner, burbling across the aisles as shoppers debated what to buy. That it had no focus, structure or meaning, and was “easy listening” in a nutshell. Sérgio Mendes simply didn’t care. He took “easy” as a compliment, meaning the melodies were strong, and would merely flash his sunny, slightly buck-tooth smile and hunch at his piano to give them more.