Jorge Ben: Jorge Ben (1969) [VAMPI SOUL]

Why you'll love it

This Vampisoul pressing is part of the label's Brazilian Classics series. Jorge Ben (1969) gave the world "País Tropical," one of his most famous songs, and "Charles, Anjo 45," his biggest self-performed hit of the year.

This edition

• Vampisoul Brazilian Classics series

About the album

Billboard called Jorge Ben the father of samba rock, and this is the record where you can hear why. Cut in 1969 in the middle of the Tropicália movement, with producer Manoel Barenbein at the desk, it mixes samba, soul, funk, rock and bossa nova with a looseness nobody else in Brazil quite managed.

Trio Mocotó back him up, and the album launched them on a career of their own. "País Tropical" is a sunny anthem that Wilson Simonal took to the top of the Brazilian charts the same year, "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" grooves along in English and Portuguese, "Criola" and "Domingas" are warm and swinging, and "Barbarella" bounces along happily. "Quem Foi que Roubou a Sopeira de Porcelana Chinesa que a Vovó Ganhou da Baronesa" is, among other things, one of the great song titles of the decade.

Robert Christgau once wrote that Ben was always ready to go further out on a beat than the other samba and bossa greats, and this album proves it from the first bar. Pronouncing that song title correctly is not required for purchase, though staff who manage it get a biscuit.

Also at Kops: more Jorge Ben on vinyl · browse World

Tracklist

Listen

On Vampi Soul / Philips (cat# VAMPI343), a reissue of the 1969 album.