Sergio Mendes in a white hat and patterned jacket sits in a theater with a stage and musical instruments in the background. Stage lights create a dramatic ambiance.

Luckman Sessions

Sérgio Mendes

Academy Award®-nominated and three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning musician Sérgio Mendes reflects on his illustrious career, the birth of bossa nova, and its impact on music and Brazil’s culture.

He discusses his pioneering contributions in taking Brazilian music to the global stage, the era-defining Latin-pop sound of his iconic group Brasil ’66, his scintillating collaborations with other musical legends like Antônio Carlos Jobim, and his 21st-century reinvention with the Black Eyed Peas and John Legend for his Oscar-nominated theme song from the animated film Rio.

Sérgio Mendes  vocals & keyboards
Gracinha Leporace  vocals
Katie Hampton  vocals
Leo Costa  drums & vocals
Kleber Jorge Pimenta  guitar & vocals
Andre De Santanna  bass
Jamieson Trotter  keyboards
Scott Mayo  saxophone, flute, & vocals
Marko Dos Santos  percussion

Nicholas Mestas  producer
Justin Cone  producer
Michael Thomas  producer, director of photography,  & editor
Anaïs Bernard  camera operator

Samantha Cloonan  production manager
Toby Tittle  audio engineer
Christina Antolin  lighting designer
Juan Marroquin  technician
Marika Mori  audio technician
Kaitlin Ragland  audio technician
Geena Wong  lighting technician
Andres Zuniga  audio technician