A Jorge Ben

First released in 1967, O Bidú is Jorge Ben's fifth full-length album. It is in many ways a typical album for Ben in the '60s, full of sweet, sincere, and mainly upbeat songs, with the music mixing samba with elements of bossa nova, swing, pop, and soul. Compared to many other works by Ben, the string and horn sections are used very sparsely. The tone of the album is set right from the start with the catchy opening track "Amor de Carnaval," one of the best songs Ben has ever written. "Frases," with its soft groove and neat lyrics, and "Toda Colorida" are two other highlights on this highly enjoyable album, whose only real flaw is its brief playing time (only just over 31 minutes).

Jorge Ben - Ben (1972) {Real Gone Music-Dusty Groove MiniLP RGM-0378 rel 2015}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 249 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 87 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 6 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1972, 2015 Philips / Real Gone Music / Dusty Groove | RGM-0378 | MiniLP
Música popular brasileira / Brazilian Pop / Samba / MPB / Brazilian Traditions

A stunner of a record from the mighty Jorge Ben – and a record that catapulted the Brazilian singer to international fame at the time! Ben had already been making magic for almost a decade down in Brazil – and his compositions and grooves left an undeniable impact on the scene in the post-bossa years – but this album has Jorge really emerging as the global soul star he was destined to be – from his powerful stare on the cover, right down to the grit in the grooves!

África Brasil is a 1976 release by Brazilian artist Jorge Ben, recording at the time as Jorge Ben. It was Ben's 14th studio album. África Brasil represented a milestone in Ben's career with Ben's switch to electric guitar and incorporation of both Afro-Brazilian and African-American pop music styles into his sound. Known for its funkiness, África Brasil is one of Ben's best-known recordings. Rolling Stone Brazil listed it as one of the 100 best Brazilian albums in history, and it was included in both Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die as well as Tom Moon's collection 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die.

Jorge Ben - Samba Esquema Novo (1963) {Mercury-Universal 5181152 rel 2001}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 175 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 66 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 144 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1963, 2001 Philips / Mercury / Universal | 5181152
Música popular brasileira / Brazilian Pop / Samba / MPB / Brazilian Traditions

Ben's first full-length record, this 1963 release contains the hit singles "Mas Que Nada" and "Chove Chuva" and typifies the light yet propulsive rhythms that afforded Ben a decades-long career in Brazilian pop. Not yet pared down to the more rock- and Afro percussive-driven sound he eventually developed, Samba Esquema Novo (which translates to "New Style Samba") is replete with swirling bossa nova rhythms and soaring choruses. Its big-band-style accompaniment, nicely off-set by Ben's signature minor-tone guitar workings, propels the set into an upbeat and enjoyable listen.

This rare album from singer/pianist Tânia Maria, backed by bassist Hélio and drummer Boto, documents that in the mid-'70s, the swinging samba-jazz interpreter was already developed - even if still closely emulating Elis Regina. The album opens with the heavy pounding of "Samba de Orly" (Vinícius de Moraes/Chico Buarque de Hollanda), and the same atmosphere follows with a Jorge Ben medley, giving room to the lyrical "Até Quem Sabe" (Lysias Ênio/João Donato). "Abre Alas" traces very closely Elis Regina's take. Another Ben classic, "Fio Maravilha" (which was written in homage to the celebrated soccer player Fio, from Botafogo, who later sued Ben for using his name, which is the reason why this song is currently interpreted as "Filho Maravilha") restores that heavy swing…

This historic album recorded live an important moment in Brazil, not only in music. Two months after the military coup that instituted the dictatorship in 1964, it was realized at São Paulo's Teatro Paramount. It greatly propelled bossa's penetration in Brazil's larger city and biggest consumer market; opened the gates for Elis Regina's highly successful regular TV show under the same name; was the first time when a bossa show gathered 2,000 people; was the first professionally managed show in that movement, with all artists receiving their cachets for their presentations; and was responsible for instituting São Paulo as an important focal point for bossa, until then restricted to Rio…