In The Key of Joy (Deluxe Edition)

デラックス・エディションは、レーベルの枠を越え代表曲をまとめたオールタイム・ベスト盤が付いた2枚組CD。

The 39th studio album from Sergio Mendes, 2019s In the Key of Joy, is a vibrant production featuring a bevy of guest performers. The album arrived during a period of renewed activity and recognition for the Brazilian pop legend who earned his first Oscar nomination in 2012 for his song Real in Rio off the Rio soundtrack, and who has steadily recorded in the 2010s, issuing similarly inspired albums like 2008s Encanto, 2010s Bom Tempo, and 2014s Magic. Along with being a studio album, In the Key of Joy also arrives as a companion piece to director John Scheinfelds documentary of the same name, detailing Mendes life and career. As with his most recent albums, In the Key of Joy features a number of collaborations between Mendes and artists from across the musical spectrum, including rapper Common, vocalist Sugar Joans, and singer Shelea Frazier. There are also dynamic pairings with fellow Brazilian icons like guitarist/vocalist Hermeto Pascoal, Mendes wife and longtime musical partner Gracinha Leporace, and others. Refreshingly, rather than rework his past hits, here Mendes offers newly minted songs that evoke the earthy ebullience and kinetic uplift of his classic 60s and 70s work, while also updating his sound for contemporary listeners. Thankfully, nothing is lost in the process and tracks like Bora La with singer Roge and Leporace, Samba in Heaven with Joans, and This Is It (E Isso) with Pascoal and Leporace, retain all the funky, soulful rhythms and hooky melodies that made Mendes seminal albums so captivating. ~ Matt Collar

50年代にまで遡る伝説や功績の数々はもう説明不要。今世紀に入ってからはウィル・アイ・アムらヒップホップ世代と組んだ『Timeless』(2005年)で人気を新たにし、親日家としても知られてきたブラジル音楽の御大が、コンコードに復帰して5年ぶりの新作を完成した。そもそもは同名のドキュメンタリー作品に合わせて始まったようだが、〈パーティー〉をテーマにしたという賑やかでカラフルな仕上がりに御託はいらず。ジョアン・ドナートやカルリーニョス・ブラウンらの提供曲に加えて本人もいつになく作曲に関わり、愛妻グラシーニャ・レポラーセはもちろん、コモンからエルメート・パスコアールまで多彩な面々が客演している。
bounce (C)轟ひろみ