Africa Brasil

“Africa Brasil” by Jorge Ben Jor (1976) Never heard this album nor this artist. But wow, welcome to my ignorance. The basic thrust of this album is the integration of western American and European) musical motifs into Brazilian urban samba. From the opening bars of "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)", the listener might expect an American country rock ballad with instrumentation and chord structure like Creedence Clearwater Revival. But eight bars in, Brazil steps up with lead and background vocals. Track two is funk Hermetica. Sounds like a Sly and the Family Stone take on 2nd century B.C. Egyptian mysticism. Apparently Jorge Ben Jor had earlier devoted an entire album on this theme (“A Tábua de Esmeralda” (1974)). Worth exploring if you’re into that sort of thing (as, obviously, I am). Listen to the first few bars of "O Filósofo" (1976) and the opening bars of “I’ll Take You There“ (1972) by The Staples Sisters and you’ll see what’s going on here. Personally, I think a little appropriation is cool. "Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro" is a celebration of his three children (“My Children, My Treasure”). Great sound and sweet lyric. "O Plebeu" gives us a happy tragedy of the collision between poverty and affection, as the penniless poet joyfully resigns himself to the fact that his love for a rich girl must remain unrequited. Interesting take on a classic theme. ‘Xica da Silva” tells real-life story of a wealthy 18th century Brazilian woman welcomed in the royal court, but excluded from her parish church because she was a black former slave. According to Wikipedia, “Xica was banished from the parish church, which was reserved for Caucasians only. To show the locals Xica’s power, [the white nobleman] João Fernandes built a luxurious church attended just by herself.” The song celebrates this act of trans-racial loyalty, and thus becomes a protest against racial exclusivity among social elites. Powerful. Compare the happy autobiographical reflections of a child who was ‘different’ in Jorge Ben Jon’s "A História de Jorge" (1976) with the tragic autobiographical reflections of a child who was ‘different’ in Juanes’ "La Historia de Juan" (2002). Fascinating. However, the most powerful track on the album is the title track, "África Brasil (Zumbi)". We’re treated to angry, driving rhythms and chord structure, with suitable vocal tone. According to Joel Sattler, “Zumbi was the last leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares runaway slave refugee colony in Alagoas, Brazil that also harbored fugitives and deserters. Born a free man in 1655, captured and sold into slavery at the age of six, baptized by his missionary owner, he learned Portuguese and Latin and the Bible. Escaping at 15, he returned home and became a military leader and renowned warrior. When the local governor offered freedom to the colony, Zumbi distrusted the Portuguese and refused to accept the offer while other Africans remained enslaved. He took over leadership of the quilombo and ruled for 15 years until the Portuguese military destroyed the central settlement of Cerca do Macaco with an artillery assault. The colony fell, Zumbi went to ground and led a rebellion for two years, evading capture until betrayed by one of his followers. He was beheaded by the Paulistas, and his head taken to Recife and displayed as a warning to all other slaves. The date of his execution, November 20 1695, has become the equivalent of our Martin Luther King Day.... https://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewpoetry.asp?id=279469 Brazilian rock. This album teaches and connects. Very nice. 4/5 Bonus connection for those familiar with Juanes: Joga bola, jogador Joga bola, corocondô Joga bola, jogador Joga bola, corocondô (from "Ponta de Lança Africano” by Jorge Ben Jor (1976)) Yo te doy todo mi amor Luna de mi corazón Yo te doy todo mi amor Si tú me lo cuentas todo (from “Luna” by Juanes (2002))

The 1001 Albums series often gets (warranted) flack for its lackluster selection of 'World Music' in it's catalog, but they certainly know to include the absolute essentials when push comes to shove. "África Brasil" is a masterclass in rhythm and performance, with secretive but long-lasting influence that can still be felt today. Even for any listeners wary of any language barrier with music, Jorge Ben Jor makes music that anybody can immediately understand and groove along with.

I loved this album. Had no idea what the lyrics said, but who cares?

The cuíca is a type of friction drum where the pitch is changed by adjusting the tension on the head of the drum. It has a high pitched squeaky sound and is often compared to a laughing monkey. This instrument is ubiquitous in samba music and is featured heavily on this album. It's sound is unique and instantly recognizable, so keep an ear out for the cuíca player on here! Overall, a great assortment of songs, that instantly invoke the feeling of chilling out around Lapa, drowning in caipirinhas while having not a care in the world. 5 Taj Mahals out of 5 🕌🕌🕌🕌🕌

Three albums ago I wondered whether we'd get any Jorge Ben Jor...and here we are! Not his best work in my estimation, but still five stars because it's Jorge Ben in his pomp. A lovely mix of tropicalia and funk, plus he has one of my favourite voices in popular music. Nothing here quite touches the greatness of 'Mas Que Nada', 'Take It Easy My Brother Charles' or 'Pais Tropical', but this is a remarkably cohesive collection with some spiky guitar work and insistent, rolling rhythms. So, so good. Oh, and Rod Stewart ripped off 'Taj Mahal' but made it far worse.

Overwhelmingly reminded me of music from the Sims. But I did quite enjoy it. Very fun

A fun week of albums continues! This is the first non-English album I have received on this list and comes from a genre I know absolutely nothing about; however, I enjoyed this one a lot for what it is and more than I initially thought I would. The production and instrumentals are great with many unique sounds coming together in a catchy, cohesive manner. It feels like a mix between traditional Brazilian/South American music and Rolling Stones-like blues rock with its prevalent bass and electric guitars standing out in the mix. Although I cannot speak to the lyrics, I found Jorge's vocals to be strong and elevate the energy of the tracks throughout the record. The main reason I cannot rate this higher is that I have no idea how this compares to the rest of his work or the overall style of his music. If there were specific songs that stood out as being amazing, I would be very impressed given my lack of knowledge of the genre, but the songs blend together in a way that makes it difficult to differentiate between tracks at some points. With that being said, I enjoyed this one more than a lot of albums I have received so far and would throw it on as background music again. 3/5.

What a funky groove. These guitar riffs are great. The variety of each track is amazing, and the energy never dips.

I was really surprised by how much I liked this album. I also noticed the song Taj Mahal was very close to Da ya think I'm sexy by Rod Stewart. As it turns out Rod Stewart lost a copyright infringement lawsuit over the similarities.

Aujourd'hui était un jour particulier, puisque nous fêtions l'anniversaire du générateur. En effet, vous n'êtes pas sans savoir qu'il y a de cela tout juste un an, je débutais cette aventure générateurienne avant d'être très vite rejoint par mon envieux camarade d'écoute, le désormais très célèbre robpaupière. A cette occasion, nous avons mis les petits plats dans les grands, en décidant de signer un pacte de non aggression, afin de pouvoir célébrer cet événement comme il se doit. Le projet était le suivant: nous devions débuter la soirée d'anniversaire par quelques biscuits et boissons, afin de nous ammener vers le vrai climax de la soirée. En effet, à 23h55, nous avions prévu de nous cacher derrière les meubles du salon, car à minuit pile, Robert devait faire irruption dans la maison pour nous dévoiler notre album du jour, l'album cadeau d'anniversaire. La soirée débutait sur de très bonnes bases, rob et moi-même choisissant chacun notre tour une chanson à jouer sur l'enceinte disposée au milieu de la pièce, afin de respecter notre quota musical respectif. Aucun débordement ne fût à déplorer, si ce n'est une petite prise de bec sur la place de la trip-hop dans l'histoire de la musique, sans conséquence fort heureusement. Mais au fond de nous, ce que nous attendions réellement, c'était les douze coups de minuit, pour découvrir cet album anniversaire concocté par Robert. Il se murmurait d'ailleurs que l'album devrait être l'un des albums de Nirvana présent dans le générateur, que nous n'avons pour l'instant pas eu la chance d'écouter. Soudain, c'était l'heure. Je courrais me cacher derrière la bibliothèque du salon, pendant que rob peinait à dissimuler son imposant corps grassouillet derrière le canapé. La porte s'entrouvit doucement, et les premières notes de musiques retentirent, précédent un Robert vêtu de ses plus beaux habits. Et la, ce fut la stupéfaction. Les premières notes très latino crachées par Robert laissèrent bientôt place à la voix de Jorge Ben Jor, qui se mit à baragouiner dans un brésilien incompréhensible. Ce n'était absolument pas Nirvana à qui nous avions affaire. Notre déception se lisait sur notre visage, et les explications de Robert sur l'impact de Jorge Ben Jor sur la samba rock ne suffirent jamais à rattraper cet anniversaire gâché. Rob ne réussit d'ailleurs pas à retenir ses larmes, et partit s'enfermer dans sa chambre.

While I don't know what he talks about... I can FEEL it. Jorge Ben (or Jorge Ben Jor (since 1989)) has been a major figure in Samba and its poularity in the early to mid 1960's. And with the popularity of his debut album "Samba esquema novo" he had the name and ressources to let Samba evolve in the prime-time of his music: the 1970's. I think it is a bit short thought to make this the only inclusion he gets on this list as at least 2 more albums of the same decade have been as important to Samba and music in general as this album. But to be fair, this is the album in which he added Funk to his arsenal, which until now mainly consisted of Samba-Rock and MPB (popular brasilian music) as well as some influence from Psychedelic Soul. There are some things that are great all throughout the album especially the percussion with hand claps, bongo-type drums as well as a genrally diverse instrumentation with Jorge's guitar, trumpets, typical South American instruments and more that are all used to create a lush and warm sound. And of course Jorge Ben's vocals are another highlight. There are also some elements throughout that I at first thought were synthesizer but they happen to be the Cuíca, a typical brazilian instrument that creates a sound that the "northern" ear isn't used to. For me that sometimes works well in the background but can annoy a little bit. Of course I don't know what he actually talks about but I hope it is not something controversial because he sings it with so much soul and emotion that you don't need to understand the text, you simply "feel" it. But with music like this, the lyrics generally don't matter that much. It is all about the presentation and the groove it envokes. The albums opening track is arguably its greatest. 'Ponta de lança africano' is simply a bop. It is groovy musically, has a hook that can even be sung along by someone that isn't capable of understanding the portugese language (like me) and makes one simply happy. Following up that masterpiece we get some more groovy songs like 'Hermes Trismegisto escreveu' with it's energetic and funky bass line and 'O filósofo' which is I think is the weakest song on the album together with the later 'Camisa 10 da Gávea' on Side 2. This song uses the Cuíca (or Monkey Drum) and although it does add an interesting sound, it does annoy after a little while. After that short little slump we do get another perfect song in the form of 'Meus filhos, meu tesouro'. All good things said about the first track applies here as well. The guitar solo at the beginning and the drums make this a definitive highlight. 'O plebeu' and 'Taj Mahal' again work perfectly in the albums context but don't stick out as much as other songs. Former has a nice "La,La,La-La" chorus and the latter has a melody that has been stolen by Rod Stewart as well, which is why some might have "heard" that song before. Side 2 opens with two incredible songs back to back: 'Xica da Silva' and 'A história de Jorge'. Both incredibly catchy and funky and just incredible. The vocal performance on both is outstanding and another peak in Jorge Ben's songwriting. As already mentioned, the next song is a little dip down because he seems to focus this song on the lyrics what ultimatly removes from the musical enjoyment of the listener although I still prefer 'Camisa 10 da Gávea' over 'O filósofo'. It does get back on track with 'Cavaleiro do cavalo imaculado' with its super energetic and funky bass solo as well as the wild percussion. The album closes with the title track 'África Brasil (Zumbi)'. That song closes the album perfectly as it is a bit more on the "melancholic" side of songs in comparison to the rest although that has to be taken very, very, very lightly because you can still dance yourself to exhaustion with it. It's fun, very fun! favourites: Ponta de lança africano (Umbabarauma); Meus filhos, meu tesouro; Xica da Silva; A história de Jorge least favourites: O filósofo, Camisa 10 da Gávea Rating: decent to strong 9 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Fantastic album! Amazing instrumentation, and amazing vocals. Can't give criticism to the lyricism because I dont speak portuguese but damn what an amazing album

bom mas não o melhor do ben jor

This got me dancing in the kitchen.

Lovedddd new dinner party album

I knew as soon as the phased guitar kicked in on the first track that this was going to be a great record…so, like, 4 seconds in and I was sold on this unbelievably funky record.

I decided to check this one out, it staying here over the weekend certainly boosted its chances and from the first song I was very glad of this. No galician this time but I'll write out my thoughts as the album goes. I love the mix of blues and bossa that this album brings right from the start. The riffy guitars and the choir and call and repeat vocals are just so great. The percussion and groove as well as some other stylistic choices really sit in a great place for me Oh yeah the portuguese vocals obviously are a big thing for the bossa/samba feel lol I can't listen to this with headphones at the moment because I feel like I'm dying of sickness which makes me sad because what little I can hear of the bass guitar is really driving these tunes along Also I think there's an organ buried in there. There's a lot of influence from african funk I think. The way that the horns are playing is quite remeniscent of this more than what is so typical for exclusively bossa nova stuff It's very nice being able to understand a little of what's being sung too. Normally lyrics fly past me anyway so really I would say the input is not a super significant way off of the typical song in english or slower spanish Again, I can't listen to this with headphones, but wft this production quality is insane for 1976 right!? There are albums by, like, the beatles or some really influential jazz artists that sound way worse than this, I mean overall the style also feels way ahead of the curve although I'm not as good at dating other music... So apparently this is this dude's first album on electric guitar!? Damn he plays it so well. For something like afrobrazillian music I think conceptually we should strongly consider the 2 different instruments and although there are obviously elements of both styles, he's certainly not just playing bossa nova on an electric guitar I have fallen in love with this album it turns out, I was growing dissapointed in the selection that this website was putting forth recently especially because I have been able to find so many great albums otherwise, but am so glad I didn't skip this! I also love the vocalisms on this album, at the end of the songs or sort of over the other singing, it's really a great mesh of genres. Cowboy of the immaculate horse is a great name for a song that I'll steal one day I'm sure, I'm glad that the album picked up with this song because I was just about to think that the album was slowing down in the 2nd half, and then BOOM this amazingness!

Amazing. One of the best discoveries from this list so far. Funky and danceable with African rhythms and melodies commingling with Latin rhythms and touches of soul. He’s a great, charismatic singer. His vocals on “Xica Da Silva” are awesome. Really catchy song. The music is crazy fun. It’s also complex at times. On “Cavaleiro Do Cavolo Imaculado,” there’s an interesting guitar part that comes in around 2:10. It feels detached from the melody and adds a cool layer of tension and contrast. Definitely an album where every track is strong but these ones particularly stood out to me: “Ponta De Lança Africano,” “Xica Da Silva,” “Cavaleiro Do Cavolo Imaculado,” “África Brasil (Zumbi)” (wow - this one really rocks)

Очень приятный альбом

Starts every song at full throttle, then makes them go harder, through a combination of surprise breaks, ecstatic vocals, the push-pull of formless scatting and ultra precise tightness, and introductions of new rhythms and melodies that are like intriguing subplots.

Loved the breezy 70s laid-back jazz funk and beautiful Brazilian melodies and female backing singers. 1st track is very cool, pity there wasn't anything else solar in a slightly more edgy rock style.

So much funk here, a little bit of Sly, James Brown and Curtis Mayfield, but based around Samba? It works really well, with the interwoven percussion, guitar work, warm vocals and funky bass lines providing an extremely enjoyable record. I can hear a lot of influence on David Byrne here.

Great! But the problem with stuff you're not familiar with is you don't actually know if it's good or not! Is this the best Brasil record, or does it sound the same as the rest?!

Insanely funky album. The arrangements, perhaps, are a bit samey. But the instrumentation is consistently interesting and I find Ben's voice magnetic. The energy oozes from every minute, though there are certainly peaks.

Fun, get up and dance music. I don’t understand any of the lyrics, of course. But I enjoyed bouncing and bopping along to the snazzy beat.

This is a great example of how to make complex music without being pretentious. Sometimes he layers multiple melodies, not to be experimental or different, but because they work for the song. Sometimes you'll see reviews where people will say, I had to listen to it 10 or 12 times before I got it, essentially brainwashing themselves into liking something. I prefer when something grabs me right away like this stuff. The background singers are great and I love how uses them sometimes like they're playing the rhythm behind his vocals.

Too much Cuíca (monkey drum, honky wonky sound).

I don't know - this one may have caught me on a bad day. I kinda liked the first few cuts, good music - and I almost always love that mid-70s creamy recorded sound - and it all fit. Then after ~track 3 or 4 it got boring or lazy or just not-interesting to me. A bit repetitive; sure it's a kind of dance music which that comes with the territory but gimme some variety. Feel like I should be fair and give this a 3 although I'm likely to forget it in an hour... so unfortunately downgrading. Just didn't connect with it. 5/10 2 stars.

Good but not my jam

yay, more Brazilian stuff. 2/5 this, we've had worse Brazilian music and this was a bit funkier and cooler than the previous. Still not of huge interest.

Wasn't for me I'm afraid

Another one of those world albums that make sitting through garbage choices worth it. This was a nice blend of Afro Brazilian and funk music. That first track hits, and you are on a musical adventure of grooves and rhythms for the next 40 minutes.

Absolutely incredible

Incredible album. A must listen.

Only one of the best albums of Brazilian Popular Music. Essential. Majestically masterful. And most of all: Timeless!

This is a really great album that just flies by. I don't understand the lyrics, but who cares? It's good music.

I've never heard of Jorge Ben Jor before, and I'm very familiar with Brazilian music, so I'm not incredibly sure what to expect on this album. I've had a tough time rating albums from some of the more 'niche' genres like samba; I think a lot of the non-traditional albums that I've reviewed so far have been nice enough to listen to, but I don't really have a way to place them, other than saying 'that was nice to listen to, and really different.' Maybe this will be the 'world music' album that finally lands with me! Well, that that last sentence of my introduction turned out to be quite prophetic, because I really enjoyed this album. I think that I've gotten enough exposure to African and Brazilian music from this project, that I was able to have a better understanding of how this album blended different musical elements. I really loved the varied percussion on this album, especially the cucia. I don't think I'd ever heard of a cucia until today, but I'm sure I've heard one played before. The use of funk elements to enhance the beats made this album really fun to listen to, and I found myself dancing along to this album while I listened to it. The guitar playing was great, and even though I didn't understand the lyrics, I really liked the vocals as well. As far as my favorite songs go, I'd have to choose "O Filósofo," "O Plebeu," and "Taj Mahal." Granted, I thought the whole album was really great. The songs were varied in sound, but all very much rooted in the same unique style. This album was really great, and I'd be quick to listen to it again.

This album is so vibey! You can’t help but bop your head and sing along from the first track. Would listen again. :)

happy to report one of my earliest exposures to mpb still goes crazy 10/10

a pleasant surprise! my experience with Brazilian music is pretty limited outside of American jazz's flirtations with bossa nova. like any good RYMer, Clube da Esquina is one of my favorite albums, and I'm already a fan of one of Ben's earlier records, Fôrça bruta. the sound of the classical guitar is integral to a lot of this music, so I was pretty taken aback by how hard this album rocks! there's hardly any acoustic guitars to be found here, although there's still plenty of great Brazilian percussion, particularly a prominent cuica! we've also got great horn and string arrangements, plus an incredible section of backup singers. the rhythm section also deserves a ton of props! I can't really speak to any of the lyrical subject matter here with any authority, but Ben's singing across all these songs is full of infectious, authoritative energy. he could be reading the phone book for all I know, but that hardly matters to me! I'll definitely be coming back to this album more than a few times. strong 9/10.

This is the type of album that anyone with a set of ears can absolutely groove out to, even with the Brazilian language barrier. Solid 5 Stars.

That’s a pretty damn good 5. I mean, this album just has charisma in spades, language barrier be damned. It does exactly what it sets out to do – mix Brazilian standards driven by a bit of samba with influences from American pop, R&B, and a bit of Afrobeat in there too. It blends itself together beautifully, on both the slower tracks and the more upbeat ones. I think it might be impossible to listen to this whole album and not get up and move around at least once – whether it’s in the stellar guitar work, the super fun synth and production tricks, the bombastic brass sections, or even just the deeply impressive percussion, there is at least one aspect of this album that’s easy to just vibe to, and that’s not even mentioning his vocal work. I think his vocals really are understated and perhaps underrated here; even though these instrumentals are great, it feels like there’s a distinct reason for this album to not have an instrumental track on it. Jorge Ben Jor’s vocals have a really good range to them, and the vocal tone of the track honestly makes or breaks the energy at times – I think this is best exemplified in “O Filosofo”, which was the only track that didn’t quite click for me, and it’s partially because his vocals don’t feel fully engaged with the song itself. On the flipside of that, when he gets into a deeply gritty tone on the last track, Africa Brasil, it evokes those moments of true zen and passion from a performer that feel rarely captured on albums or even on tape – Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” comes to mind, both in the album cut and that famous GRAMMYs performance. Ultimately, this is just fun. It’s 40 minutes that zoom by, but it kept me really attentive to every little detail – what’s here is so deep and rich in its soundscape that it’s impossible to ignore, and frankly worth analyzing to really distill funk in such a pure form. It’s very rare to get international albums on the list, but they’ve usually been pretty damn good (save for that shit show “Haut de gamme”) – this sits right behind Clube Da Esquina as my second favorite international one we’ve gotten so far. It’s a super easy 5 for me. Hell, just give us another Brazilian album. It can’t hurt at this point.

Utter perfection. Such a brilliant combo of MPB and funky proto-disco. Every track is a standout, and the minute it ends, I just want to start it again.

Fun

I loved this! Favorite new album yet.

U jbt otvorim album, prva pjesma mi je već spremljena u liked songs. Kreće super, Africa Brasil, funk, ajmo rokanje Slušam dok radim, glava mi se cima stalno. Top picks su mi prva pjesma, xica de Silva, Cavaliero do cavalo imaculado Pojma nemam o čemu pjeva, ali fino vozi. Tipa zbog ovakvog albuma sam se odlučio na pothvat slušanja svih ovih albuma

don't tell him this cause he's Christian and might find it offensive, but every day i wake up and thank God for Jorge Ben. his song are on point, his guitar is on point, the energy and overall vibes are on point. whenever he sings a vocal line and the backup singers respond in turn, my brain does flips like a trained dog. high effort, high energy, high point. no skips. essential.

Pretty cool stuff!

Brutal

As someone who is far from an expert in Brazilian music, I can confidently say that Africa Brasil by Jorge Ben Jor is utterly captivating even without any prior knowledge. This album pulses with the spirit of Brazil—imagine lounging with a Piña Colada, surrounded by the vibrant energy of famous Copacabana Beach and the rhythmic sounds of people playing futebol, all while the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue watches over you. From the first track, the fun, high-tempo music draws you in. Ben Jor masterfully blends expert musicianship with an irresistible mix of Western influences and African and local melodies. Songs like "País Tropical" celebrate Brazil's lush landscapes and vibrant culture, while "Menina Mulher da Pele Preta" captures the romance and allure of love set against infectious rhythms. "Oba, Oba, Oba," with its upbeat tempo, is impossible to resist, embodying the spirit of Brazil and inviting everyone to join the celebration. Then there's "Taj Mahal," which features a melody so catchy that Rod Stewart "borrowed" it for his own hit. This captivating fusion of samba and funk showcases Ben Jor’s talent for crafting music that’s sophisticated yet accessible. Africa Brasil is an invitation to experience Brazil's vibrant life, capturing the essence of a country where music flows through the streets. I have no idea what exactly he is saying, but with catchy hooks, infectious rhythms, and lively beats, the music evokes instant joy while sweeping you off your feet. • Did I own this release? No • Does this release belong on the list? Yes • Would this release make my personal list? I wasn't familiar with it before, but I really enjoyed it. I need to do a deep dive into Brazilian music in the '70s first. • Will I be listening to it again? For sure!

Such a good album, and totally unexpected. Really groovy - if it doesn't get you tapping your toes it probably means that you have early stage leprosy.

My GOD what a banger. Unfortunately the songs aren't all available on spotify, atleast in my country. Def will listen again. This is why I love 1001 Albums. Easily learn about new stuff, you would've never found else.

Finally an album I would rate six stars if I could. This is what I listen to all of these albums for, completely bizarre and enjoyable music that I would've never run into otherwise. A sixties jazzy/funky brazilian singer talking about Hermes Trismegistus? Sign me up!

Love it, what a find, and the Rod Stewart rip off in Taj Mahal is superb!

notes

Jorge Ben Jor é um dos maiores artistas do mundo todo. Simplesmente perfeito!!!!! Esse álbum é um presente para a cultura brasileira. A história do negro no Brasil e tudo que isso representa.

5 estrelas

sexy, funny and eternally cool.

It's like if Herbie Hancock got waylaid in Brazil for a little while. A song like "Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado" is akin to injecting caffeine straight into your veins: it just gets you moving. It's just fucking cool, and it's really unlike anything I've heard before, a beautiful blend of funk, afrobeat, and samba. Late in this list, it's nice to see that it can still completely catch me off-guard. Favorite tracks: "Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado", "Taj Mahal"

Beautiful album, already had it but never realized how much of a gem it is

Love Brazilian music. Never really given Jorge Ben Jor a chance though. Always been more of a Gilberto Gil fan. (Side note check out his self titled 1968 album, it should be on this list damn it!) But this album makes me wish I’d have checked his stuff out before! It’s great, funky fun, great hooks, instrumentation and percussion that adds that unmistakable Brazilian fun. Wonderful!

África Brasil - Jorge Ben (1976) Jorge Ben totalmente elétrico. África Brasil é o primeiro álbum de Jorge Ben com a incorporação total de guitarras elétricas, somada com a aglutinação da música afro-brasileira e a black music americana, resultando em algo único, que pode tocar tanto em estádios quanto no carnaval de rua. Conta com três regravações de álbuns antigos em versões “modernizadas”, como "A Princesa e o Plebeu" do Sacudin Ben Samba, aqui chamada só de O Plebeu, "Taj Mahal" do Ben e "Zumbi" do A Tábua de Esmeralda, aqui chamada de Africa Brasil (Zumbi). As três primeiras canções são irretocáveis (Ponta de Lança Africano, Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu e O Filósofo), simplesmente sintetizam a essência do álbum e ditam o tom que se seguirá adianta, há um pequeno momento de baixa na música “Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro”, que conta com uma letra datada e esquisita para os tempos atuais. Mas o momento de relativa baixa já é substituído por mais um grande momento com as regravações de “O Plebeu” e “Taj Mahal”, voltando ao ensejo anterior, e a música “Xica da Silva” com um instrumental hipnotizante e contando uma história que só o Brasil pode propiciar. Seguindo para o final, temos as divertidas músicas “A História De Jorge” e “Camisa 10 Da Gávea”, mas que não estão no nível das outras, mas que já é recuperado na música “Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado” frenética e psicodélica. O disco é encerrado com chave de ouro pela regravação África Brasil (Zumbi), que sintetiza a temática que dá nome ao projeto com maestria, que talvez só Jorge Ben seja capaz. Melhores músicas: Ponta de Lança Africano, Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu, O Filósofo, Xica da Silva, África Brasil (Zumbi). Piores músicas: 4.75/5

This probably the first one where I (i) never heard of artist let along the album and (ii) absolutely LOVED it. Couldn't understand a lick of it. But didn't need to. The 70's funk vibe mixed with Brazil was excellent. Will be listening to this one again.

nutting

I don’t know what this man was saying but I was jammin’! Live the fusion of samba, funk, and soul. Will listen again.

I always appreciate the world music we get here because it is always new to me. Sometimes the comments rag on something for not being representative or not the best to offer from an artist, but I still find myself enjoying much of the world music in this list. Jorge Ben Jor is no exception and this album is incredibly strong. More traditional sounds mixed with Brazillian music leads to a great listen. I particularly liked O Plebeu, such a happy sounding song (I dont speak Portuguese, so hopefully it actually is). My other standouts are Taj Mahal and Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado.

Nobody knows what it means (sorry Brazil) but it’s provocative, it gets the people going.

Brazilian funk of the highest order. Only a deranged, criminal brain could give this less than a perfect score

Brilliant

Love the combo of Brazilian music and funk

9/10. I love fun and ethnic albums. :)

Incredibly fun and exciting! The mix of Brazilian and African sounds with a funky soul really works.

Excellent! Funky. Catchy. Cool. Daydreaming of going to jazz clubs in Brazil. Super into it.

This list only scratches the surface of the brilliance of Brazilian music, but it’s great to see Jorge Ben featured here. One of the greatest songwriters of all time!

I’m so glad I discovered this album. Brazilian funk with African influences – what more can you ask for? This album is super groovy and catchy. One element I really like is how the funk adds playful and quirky vibes to some of the tracks.

Samba brasileña muy animada. Venga, le pongo un 5.

Phenomenal album, great fusion of funk and notes of jazz. Album flowed so well I hardly noticed when the songs changed. Will definitely be listening to again Taj Mahal was a standout track

This is like crack cocaine being injected straight into my ear. Insanely good. An incredible gem like this, which I would never seek out on my own, is what makes trudging through the hundreds of "old British guy crooning"-entries on this list all worth it. First time I've noticed the cuica being used outside of MIDI music. Love that goofy instrument. Five outta five.

Absolutely pleasant and exotic. I loved that funky style and that kind of jungle sounds. This album is a beauty.

This was awesome. More of this please.

Holy moly. Better yet...santo deus. I have hit a few random points on Jorge Ben timeline but for some reason never made it here. I'm a little slack jawed. It's just so creative. It's like a wilder Esquivel with the kitsch turned down. Weird, expressively weird with undercurrents of pop, traditional samba and latin jazz. Excellent musicianship. And get up and dance funky. I have a mild curiosity for the lyrics but why mess with perfection. What an absolute great ride.

Fun, funny, groovy and inventive! This album didn’t miss with me. I loved the varied timing, the passion and the creative vocalization’s. I plan on cooking to this many times in the future!

Sonically intoxicating.

Very snazzy

oh my god? talk about an album that i never would have been exposed to otherwise that i was absolutely blown away by. every second of this is a fabulously funky fusion of funk and brazilian music. there is not a bad moment on here, it is just dripping in sweat in the best kind of way the entire length of the album. i will definitely return to this one! really awesome stuff.

I'd just found out about this dude a couple months ago and thought he was the coolest ever and it's great to see he has more albums that go as hard as the one I found (none of these songs hold a candle to Oba, La Vem Ela though)

Deep down, I’m just a girl who loves to dance, so I tend to fall fast and easy for anything with a groove: funk, house, disco, pop, and apparently samba. On África Brasil, Jorge Ben Jor 1000% delivers a dance-party record. This has it all – casual bum-shakers to vibe along to next to the beach bonfire, chaotic cuts that force everyone on the floor, slow jams that beg you to hold a lover close, and everything in between. But this record is so much more than just dance grooves. It’s a party record with depth. Musical depth, for sure; this is some of the tightest, most technical shit I could imagine creating that still has pop appeal. But also, it has socio-political depth, using its points of reference, esoteric lyrics, and globalism to say something about the state of the world, about connected influence across continents and oceans, about black people everywhere. And by doing all that through winks and nudges, what could be seen through a translator as “simplistic” lyrics actually reveals subversive depth. And all over funky ass grooves that make you want to shake your ass! Literally obsessed. Really hitting me at a perfect time in my life, especially during the summer. The perfect record to put on at 2am to keep the party going. I won’t be surprised if this ends up toward the top of my overall ranking by the end of this challenge.

Great album, lovely instrumentation. No idea what he's singing but it sounds nice.

Has a cooler record ever been made? This is just about note perfect, with very well textured funk and powerful, controlled grooves, with occasional touches of saudade adding dimensionality. It's fun and rollicking and happy-making throughout. The energy means it's scarcely aged a day and sounds way more recent than '70s.

Now this is why I'm into this 1001 game. I was familiar with a couple tracks off this but never gave the full album a full spin and now that I have I'm hooked! The first track is on some comp I have and always stood out. Taj Mahal I knew because Rod Stewart stole the vocal melody for "Do You Think I'm Sexy". 5/5 on first spin, can't wait to listen again.

This was awesome, end of story.

Contrary to popular belief, I cannot speak Portuguese. However, the vibes this album brought were sensational, I didn't need to understand it to love it.

It was an entertaining album to listen to, it really transports you to Brazil, and of course it does it because Jorge is one of the most important artists in the country mentioned (one in the top 5, at least) The music is great, if you liked “Mas que nada" (song by the same artist, a very recognized hit) and if you want to get closer to Brazil’s music and culture you are going to love this artist's music in general. Totally recommended.

If the translated lyrics are even half as good as the instrumentation, this album is what the youths would call a banGer

loved it, was a great change of pace and a dip back into "Brasillia"

Love this. Would listen to it again and again

This album was super groovy, I thought it was fantastic.

This is a great album for driving along the Mass Turnpike in the rain. Mellow but not sleepy. Turned into a surprised conversation about musical plagiarism once Taj Mahal came on.

Brazilian music makes me so proud of my country. Jorge Ben is a master and it shows. This album is more of a 4.5 for me, but that it’s only because I know his true masterpiece is A Tábua da Esmeralda. Also, it’s pretty fun seeing many other reviewers finding out that Rod Stewart “borrowed” way too much from Taj Mahal.

Energetic. Amazing. Will listen to his entire discography.