Longtime Brazilian bandleader Sergio Mendes has constantly reinvented himself since debuting with Brasil ‘66 to the point of becoming a visionary for the hugest names in pop, R&B, rap and hip-hop.

The impact of this esteemed composer, arranger, songwriter and piano player has never been more apparent as it is throughout a documentary and companion album, both named “In The Key Of Joy.”

Chicago Concert Reviews reached the living legend shortly after his 80th birthday in 2021 and is revisiting highlights from that conversation now that he’s coming to the North Shore Center For Performing Arts on Friday, October 6 with the promise of a “Boss Nova Samba Celebration.”

How did this idea for the documentary with your musical friends come about?

Sergio Mendes: A little over two years ago, the record company said they were interested in doing a documentary about my life. They sent me the [one about] John Coltrane, [“Chasing Trane”], and suggested [director] John Scheinfeld. He lives here in L.A. also, so he came to the house, we met a couple of times and I really liked him. He’s a very musical person, so I said, “let’s do it.” We went to Brazil and he had an incredible footage archives from television shows I’ve done. I didn’t see it until he was ready with the final cut. I came to watch it and I was very touched. It was a very emotional experience for me and he did a great job.

What do you hope it communicates with viewers?

Mendes: It’s a portrait of my life…I think the documentary shows the important moments of my life: my childhood, my family and friends. I think it’s pretty much describes what my life has been…“In The Key Of Joy,” that’s what my music does. It makes people smile and enjoy life. After this pandemic, I think we all need a little bit of that.

What’s the backstory on your key relationships and guests, starting with Herb Alpert?

Mendes: He’s a dear friend until today. We’ve been good friends and Lani [Hall], his wife, of course. I was auditioning here in L.A. for record companies in 1965 and he came in with Jerry Moss. A&M was Alpert and Moss. The Tijuana Brass was just starting and he wanted me to join A&M, which was a wonderful thing for me and my career. I had many, many hits over there, and a great friendship with both him and Jerry. It was just perfect. I use a lot of the word “serendipity” on the documentary and I think it describes those encounters.

How about Quincy Jones?

Mendes: I’ve known Quincy for many years too. After I met Herb and Jerry, my record came out and we were doing concerts. Among the great musicians I met were Quincy and Henry Mancini. Then [Quincy] became an artist for A&M, and later on, he had a label at A&M, so I used to see him a lot. Many great musicians lived here in L.A. at that time. He used to live close to my house and he’s a dear friend. He’s a master, and again, it’s great to have him in the documentary.

What do some of the new school artists bring to the table?

Mendes: I enjoy working with people from different cultures, different counties and different ages. When I met will.i.am, he was a good example of that. He was a big fan and he told me he had all my records. He’s much younger than I am, but he knew every song I’ve ever recorded and then he said, “let’s do an album together. Let’s go to the studio and let magic happen” and it did [on 2006’s “Timeless” and 2008’s “Encanto”]. Same thing with other artists, [such as] John Legend, Common, India.Arie and oh, so many.

When you originally debuted with Brasil ‘66, how did you hope to stand out from what was happening at the time?

Mendes: Everything was a series of events happening, meeting Herb and Jerry, making the record for A&M, [“Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66”], so the first time I heard “Mas Que Nada” on the radio here, I said, “oh my God, this is gonna be great.” To hear a song in Portuguese on pop radio in those days was very hard, so the surprises came one at a time. It was a wonderful feeling. It still is when you hear your music on the radio…[In] the ‘60s, you had The Beatles of course, you had Herb and the Tijuana Brass’ instrumentals, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Tell us a bit about reinventing in the ‘80s with the ballad “Never Gonna Get You Go.”

Mendes: Through the years, sometimes people send me a demo and I received that song. I don’t even know who sent me that song. I loved the melody and I said, “that would be kind of an anthem in a Brazilian bossa nova style” and it became the anthem all over the world. At the time, I met a young singer here from Youngstown, Ohio. His name is Joe Pizzulo and I loved his voice. I said, “you know, I’m gonna use a male voice instead of the two girls singing in unison” and that’s what I did. I’m curious. I like to experiment with different things and that became a huge hit with the male singing [a duet with Leeza Miller]. It was totally different than the Brasil ’66.

What did being included on the “Austin Powers” soundtrack in the ‘90s mean to you?

Mendes: I think every opportunity you have, either through a movie or through a record, it’s exposing your song. If the movie’s a success and people like the song you have, it’s great. It only feeds your career. [I enjoyed the movie] very much!

Do you have a secret to staying relevant into the 2000s and beyond?

Mendes: There’s no secret. I don’t have a formula. I don’t follow trends. I just like to [pursue] whatever feels right at the time, musically speaking. If I hear a great singer or if I hear a great song, it’s a little bit of intuition, but it’s really love of passion for the music that keeps me moving.

What went into the selection process and came to mind with the compilation?

Mendes: They asked me first to select my favorites and then the record company decides what they want to do, so it’s a collaborative process…I feel, first of all, that I’m very blessed to have had a long career making the music that I always loved. I’ve been very lucky in this aspect also and I’d like to continue to keep doing it as long as I can.

Do you have any memories of playing in Chicago?

Mendes: Absolutely! That’s where I started. In Chicago, there was a club named Mother Blues on Wells Street and that’s where I used to play with Brasil ‘65, a new band fresh from Brazil. We were working there and that’s where I met Lani. She was singing folk music in a club. So Chicago was very, very important for me in the early days because that’s where I really got started, at Mother Blues on North Wells and then meeting Lani Hall there.

What’s some of the wisdom you picked up along your 80 years that still applies today?

Mendes: Embrace your passion and keep walking with it. Don’t stop and just stick with what you believe. The passion is the most important thing and stay with it.

As you’re reflecting on all these milestones, have you thought about writing a memoir?

Mendes: Yes, that’s absolutely something I’ve been thinking about. It’s something I’d like to do. It’s gonna take time, but I think I’m ready. That’s something on my mind right now.

Is there anything remaining on your “to do” list?

Mendes: I don’t have a list. I kind of wake up [thinking], “hey, thank you very much.” I’m here, happy to be alive, in good health and doing the thing that I love, which is music.

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Sergio Mendes performs at the North Shore Center For The Performing Arts on Friday, October 6. For additional details, visit NorthShoreCenter.org and SergioMendesMusic.com.