Janis Hansen (singer)

Janis S. Hansen is an American singer, producer and writer.

Hansen joined Lani Hall as one of the singers in the group Sérgio Mendes and Brasil '66. She is the voice in "The Look of Love" (which hit the charts six months after she left the group).

Leading off their first album for A&M, Sérgio Mendes and Brasil ‘66's explosive cover of Jorge Ben Jor's "Mas Que Nada" became their first hit. Hall (who was double-tracked on the album) and Hansen (who joined when Herb Alpert hired the group to open for the Tijuana Brass road tour) learned the lyrics phonetically but the upbeat rhythm and lively vocal harmonies were enough to hook American listeners. Hansen joined a line that included Bob Matthews (bass), Jose Soares (percussion) and Joao Palma (drums). She was in the group from 1966-1968.

Hansen did not sing on their first album: "Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66", and did not appear on the cover of the album, rather, that was Brazilian singer Bibi Vogel. When Vogel decided to leave the group, Hansen replaced her and did most of the TV shows and toured worldwide, although Vogel performed at the Carnegie Hall concert that opened their coast-to-coast American tour. This explains why all the CD reissues of "Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66" ignore Vogel and wrongly credit Hansen as the second vocalist.

Hansen sang on the albums "Equinox" and "Look Around". She left the group in 1968 and was replaced by Karen Philipp.

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