Africa Brasil

A percussive wonder. 3.9⭐

This is why I do these sort of challenges. A very pleasant surprise from this off-the- radar gem. A seemingly bewildering array of influences (blues rock, bossa-nova and African hi-life) is balanced so brilliantly by the songwriting without ever sounding derivative. Will definitely be returning to this outstanding album.

Obrigado for some funky Brasil-Afrobeat good times. I managed to pick up the melody that Rod Stewart got sued for.

Fantastic album that's a very fun listen. Great grooves throughout, really liked the horns and reggae feel in some of the songs.

I liked it

Samba rock!? I love this album. A lot of different genre blending (funk, jazz, Afro soul, Rock). My perception of samba up to this point has been Stan Getz and his soulful acoustic music and soft voice while Jorge Ben is the polar opposite. Beats are catchy and the guitar work is impressive. Wish I could speak Portuguese so I could understand what he is saying. Will be listening to this one again 4.5/5

Diferente e interesante

Samba. Alegre

Very nice album

Loved it!

An audible shot of pure bliss. As an added bonus, it also made me learn that Rod Stewart is a thief, something we all suspected and hoped was true.

It's fun when this list gives me albums from genres I haven't heard much before, artists I'm unaware of, from countries I don't normally think of as a source of music (sepultura obsession aside here lol). This doesn't strike me as a best-of-all-time sort of album. But give me this sort of fun romp over yet more UK rock/pop any day at this point. 4/5.

This was fun. I had never heard of this artist before and I wasn't really sure what it was going to be, but I enjoyed it. This isn't really a genre I have much experience with but I'd consider listening to it again. 3.5 getting the round up because it deserves it.

Solid. Old, interesting, groovy and a fusion of different styles.

A fresh combination of samba, afrobeat, and funk. I'm a fan of his voice, the Nick Cave-esque gospel back vocals, the clear production, and the high funkiness that results in half the tracks being fun to dance to. The percussions are clever, especially the use of the speaky cuica. Riffs are deep and subtle. There were a good amount of highlights. They even embodied the jazz-funk spirituality of Herbie Hancock in "A Historia de Jorge." I hear good things from A Tábua de Esmeralda. Favorites: O Filosofo, O Plebeu, Taj Mahal, Xica Da Silva, Africa Brasil

Favorite Tracks: Ponta De Lanca Africano O Filosófo Taj Mahal Xica Da Silva África Brasil

When I saw we got Jorge I was hoping that at least one of the songs I would consider his "anthems" would be on it, and I lucked out and got 2: "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)" and "Taj Mahal". This was certainly funky stuff for 1975 and Brazilian hits are great to sing along to, as live audiences down there love to do!

This was a great album that 100% deserves to be on this list. Holy SHIT, the opening track (Ponta de lança Africano) fucking slaps and is by FAR my very fave. I'd rate this 4.5 stars if I could because while every track was enjoyable I would only return to listen to a few of them. Side note: Did Rod Stewart sample "Taj Mahal" (another great track) with Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? Because if so...the original is better. This artist, by the way, is well known for his adaptation of the classic jazz standard "Mas Que Nada." Whew, this was a great way to spend a morning.

Wow, this is so great, so much energy, just makes me want to dance. Faves: Ponta De Lanca Africano, O Filosofo, Taj Mahal.

Lively, fun, afro-latin romp!

Interesting Latin african mix, good for background working in my case

This album is good enough that I can almost overlook how much I normally dislike the sound of the cuica. Certainly Rod Stewart liked one of the songs on here, "Taj Mahal", enough to steal it outright for "Do You Think I'm Sexy"... I don't speak a word of Portuguese, but I get the overall period funk vibe (dig the synthesiser as well); no idea about its place in the overall scheme of "world music" (ergh) but I liked it a lot. And not enough songs name-check Hermes Trismegistus...

Very enjoyable

This album is a lot of fun

Cool album. Probably deserves more recognition than just the whole Rod Steward thing, decent disco funk grooves throughout.

enjoyed it!

Blusey, funky African, Brazilian roots rock. Play this and embarrass yourself when you're dancing and everyone thinks you're appropriating two different cultures when you're not - this just has fucking tunes! Best Tracks: Ponta De Lanca Africano; Taj Mahal; Xica Da Silva

Yeeeeeah this was good stuff. Lively, joyous music from damn fine musicians.

Muy bueno

Another classic in World music. I find that non-American artists have an easier time including unique sounds into their compositions, which is refreshing. I enjoyed hearing all the parts in these songs, and they provided something new with each listen. Even though it’s a different language than English, the record is still very listenable.

Really like this one.

Super fun beat. Great energy.

An unknown artist for me, and what a treat to enjoy the entertaining rhythms from South America! That's what I hoped for when I signed up here.

3/07/22

Not really my thing, but was fun to listen to. Sounds like the kind of music that gets sampled in other songs. :)

Wow this music makes me wanna dance, makes me wanna play football makes me wanna understand and live the Brazilian lifestyle Groovy, catchy, tropical. African roots mixed with South American, a can't miss mix 4/5

la légende raconte qu’après des semaines d’absence, le soleil est revenu en Belgique au moment exact où j’ai cliqué sur play

I’m not sure what type of music this is. Maybe some samba influence but also plenty of electric guitar and some African beats. The first song is excellent as is the title song to finish up. It has a real angsty feel even though I have no idea what the lyrics are saying. Interesting sounds and I’ll listen to it more for sure.

Great album, felt like Summer was here.

Really enjoyed the sound. I honestly wish there were more non-english language albums on this list. Plan to listen to more of the artist in the future. 3.5/5

I have to reveal my ignorance here: I'd never heard of Jorge Ben before and didn't know any of his music. Of course, I immediately knew I could get behind anyone who inspired David Byrne. But I can't judge "Africa Brasil" against many other Brazilian albums, much less try to contextualise the album's fusion of samba with Afrobeat, rock and African-American funk. And of course, the lyrics are lost on me. All I really had to go on was impulsive response to the beat... the melody... the rhythms... the feel. As an introduction to this genre, this particular blend of sounds and Brazil's culture in the 1970s, "Africa Brasil" is an exhilarating listen. Whether Ben Jor is revelling in samba roots ("Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro"), foreshadowing disco ("Taj Mahal") or going for straight-up funk ("Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu"), he's having a whale of a time across the album. One of my main takeaways from it was the obvious Western cross-over appeal here, more than I expected there to be (which is perhaps how it made the list). Right from the off, the album's first sound is a swampy electric guitar riff tantamount to southern rock. Later, "O Filosofo" and "O Plebeu", two of the album's gorgeous softer numbers, are structured around simple three chord progressions commonly found in the major scale of Western pop. There's also a heavy presence from funky, skittering electric guitars throughout, and synthesisers underscoring vocal hooks (to great effect in "O Plebeu") The rest of the instrumentation- more traditional to South American or African music- is arranged and mixed to finish off the album's party atmosphere, particularly the layers of syncopated percussion throughout each song (often dominated by the squeaky friction drums known as cuicas). The backing vocalists are exceptional and often add some of the best dimensions to the album: take the call-and-response vocals in the opener, or the glorious refrain of "Taj Mahal". While I found the album's first half exceptional, some its second seemed to be trying the same ideas to slightly diminished effect. "Camisa 10 Da Gavea" has a great counter melody on flute, but doesn't have the same drive or rhythmic intensity as some of the earlier tracks. The last last two tracks redeem things slightly, with "Cavaleiro de Cavalo Imaculado" returning propulsion and the finale closing proceedings on a note of anthemic passion with its chorus of layered vocals. I had a great time with "Africa Brasil" album and feel keen to go into more of Ben Jor's work as well as that of his contemporaries. My only other slight gripe is that whenever I have it stuck in my head in future, I'll need to clarify to everyone that I am singing "Taj Mahal" and not "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy".

I really enjoyed this album, enough to give it 4* !

Perhaps slightly over-rated but really enjoyed the first half of the album.

4.5

Brilliant

Hafði aldrei heyrt þessa, en hún er mjög hressandi. Mæli með.

A fun listen

Awesome Brazilian jazz, really dig this one

Det här är så nära en femma man kan komma. Det blir liiiite för långrandigt. Det hade kunnat kortats ner med en eller två låtar. Men fram till spår 7 är det otroligt bra och svängigt.

Great album to just sit back and feel the funk

Some shit-hot playing on here. Wouldn't normally listen to stuff like this, but this one stays.

What fun to see what the writer of "Mas Que Nada" was doing with Brazilian music in the 70s. Happily it still has a good dose of the cuíca, which makes everything sound like it's a Carnaval party parade. This was a great listen. Standout songs were "Ponta de Lanca Africano" (a soccer anthem), "Taj Mahal" (which apparently snuck into Rod Stewart's head), "Xica da Silva" (about an 18th century woman born into slavery who became a "great lady"). Brazil hasn't disappointed me yet. Hope to hear more. I'm swaying and moving and singing along (the best I can) and enjoying every minute.

This was again something that I had never heard of, and I had a heck of a lot of fun listening to it. Funky with a vibe of the seventies.

This is some fun and funky Brazilian music. I listened to “Ponta de Lanca Africano” as I was driving and I felt like it should I should be in the ending of some 1970s film. It was smooth, funky, and cool. “Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu” continued that feeling. Great opening songs! “O Plebeu” was really nice. I loved the “Lalalála lalalá lalá”s. And it really sounded like Rod Stewart stole some of the melody from “Taj Majal” for his song “Do Ya’ Think I’m Sexy?” Other highlights included “História de Jorge”, “Cavaleiro do Cavalier Imaculado”, and a really nice ending with “África Brasil (Zumbi)”. I quite enjoyed this album.

Pretty sweet album, nice and funky

Muy bueno

Fun album to listen to like many Brazilian samba albums. 7/10.

Funky Brazilian beats. What's not to like.

I liked this album. It's unique and I liked the varity of songs. My favorite song from the whole album is probably Taj Mahal.

Fucks 4/6

Episkt

Wonderful rhythms... Did not mind that I don't understand Portuguese...

Taj Mahal - Da think im sexy Album gesamt 3.5/4

So welcome after that Jane's Addiction schlock. I don't even need to speak the same language to have this music speak more clearly to me... This is an interesting mix of tropicalia and funk. The female backup vocals are welcome and excellent. Had never heard this artist but am so glad I did. I read a little about Jorge Ben Jor and it appears he's known for his satirical lyrics. That's cool. Obviously, I have no clue. But I like his voice. I want to be on a tropical beach listening to this. Or driving next to a beach in an old convertible. I'll take either one. I think my internal rating criteria really benefits bands/artists that I've never heard but am pleasantly surprised by. Jorge Ben Jor is definitely in that category. So maybe this is actually a 3.5 but I'm rounding up to 4.

Real funky, super cool

Great fun

I enjoyed this a lot. My kind of funk. And I can see exactly why he sued Rod Stewart.

I wasn't familiar with the artist or the album, but I have been casually listening to some Brazilian music recently. Nice grooves and an infectious rhythm that is very easy to listen to. Thanks for the suggestion!

eeh maar deze is echt genieten ! cavaleiro, taj mahal en ponta neem ik mee

PUURU GENIETEN

That was funkin’ WILD. Gimme more dat Brasil Bop.

Had heard the lead track but not the rest. Very listenable and something I should revisit.

Bangin'. Wasn't familiar with it but it had me hooked.

Has some really awesome instrumentals and vocals. One of the most fun albums I’ve listened to in a while, I’ll definitely throw this on to get hyped in the future.

funky, I'm jamming better than most of the other albums I've listened to, and I don't even know what they're saying in this one Didn't realize it finished

Wonderful to listen to

Great mix of Brazilian, African, and soul/blues/R&B. This album is incredibly interesting rhythmically and the combination of the familiar (to western audiences) and the unfamiliar is very effective. The album remains exciting and fast paced from the first to the last song.

Brazilian music. First song is about soccer

Fun

Muito bom, gostei, principalmente a música sobre os filhos. Não considero o melhor álbum do Jorge Ben Jor mas é bom.

Good fun. I have a soft spot for brazillian music, and this tickled it.

Hot album with hot tunes got me jammin world wide. I don’t understand the lyrics but the music was beautiful and I want to be in brasil ayyy Top tracks : Africa brasil, Taj Mahal, historia de jorge

Listened to 5/6/21

very fun and progressive

i thought it was good even though i can't understand the words. i particularly like o plebeu

Invigorating and fun!

good album

This album was a bit of a revelation to me. Celebratory, brimming with ideas. It was like a window into a whole new realm of music. Favourite track: Africa Brasil (Zumbi)

Not sure what exactly to call this? Love the groove tho

Groovy

Love this guy

Production: 15/20 Songwriting: 16/20 Innovation: 15/20 Bangers: 15/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =77 Cracking stuff this

Prima!

Bro he speaking facts

Fantastic, funky, infectiously groovy and a lot of fun even with the language barrier. Also, copious use of friction drums! Fave track - "Taj Mahal" - can't really blame Rod Stewart for ripping off that great melody!

Pretty funky

Really good. Easy listening. I enjoyed it.

Fun music with great melodies and groove to spare.

Pretty alright. I can get on board with Afro-Brazilian samba funk pop.

Funky!

oh boy I love this FUNK. that electric guitar fits so well. mmm these percussion sounds

so funky cool

Give me more!!

Interesting. Has some fun rhythm

Très sympa. Ca met de bonne humeur.

Jazzy, infectious rhythms

-Really dig this right off the bat with Ponta De Lanco Africano -The songs are so long but I really enjoy it! -O Plebeu is also a favorite--it went into my beach playlist

This was a fun album, but not the greatest for sitting at a desk at work. Also wish I knew the name of that whooping instrument in the back of some tracks

This album is pretty fun… I like it!

Ponta de lanca africano - 4 Hermes trismegisto escreveu - 4 O filosofo - 3 Meus filhos, meu tesouro - 3 O plebeu - 3 Taj mahal - 3 Xica da silva - 3 A historia de jorge - 3 Camisa 10 da gavea - 3 Cavaleiro do cavalo imaculado - 3 Africa brasil (zumbi) - 4

Very good and groundbreaking album. The way he merged african music and samba is top notch and edgy at the time. Think he overused some sounds but they made sens for the songs individually so not sure what to think about the rating

Braziliero vibeess, nije lose, al nema svih pjesama na spotifyu

Bra! Mysigt album att lyssna på. Dansigt och svängigt. Jag blir genast på gott humör.

Some nice music with a quality vocals by Jorge Ben Jor. Smooth rhythms and danceabke tunes.

Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma) - 4/5 Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu - 3.5/5 O Filósofo - 3/5 Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro - 4/5 O Plebeu - 3/5 Taj Mahal - 4/5 Xica da Silva - 4/5 A História de Jorge - 3.5/5 Camisa 10 da Gávea - 3/5 Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado - 4/5 África Brasil (Zumbi) - 4/5 Not my cup of usual tea but it's a fun jaunt. A good mix of Brazilian popular music and African theme to create some latin-funk-worldbeat fusion that fun to listen to throughout. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: Ponta de Lança Africano, Taj Mahal, Xica da Silva

I enjoyed this album. It was fun and refreshing.

Pretty high energy and fun. The list actually has a pretty good selection of music not in English which has made for some fun listens. That bass in O Filosofo was a highlight for me.

De repente quiero ir a brasil

새로운 느낌의 음악이었다. 뭔가 전통적인 느낌이 많이 나는 듯한 느낌이었다. 음악 자체는 나쁘지 않았다. It was music with a fresh feel. It seemed to have a strong traditional vibe. The music itself wasn't bad.

Die afrikanischen und südamerikanischen Beiträge zu dieser Liste konnten mich bislang nicht überzeugen. Bei einer Kombination aus beidem bin ich also skeptisch. Aber das ist echt gar nicht schlimm. Auch nicht super, aber geht im Vergleich schon.

Ich schwanke zwischen „interessant“ und „unerträglich“.

Halte ich für gut, Gesang mag ich aber nicht immer.

By coincidence, this album has appeared during the World Cup with Brazil playing Morocco over the weekend in an entertaining game. This would have made a decent background noise as I always turn the commentary off. I'll play this the next time Brazil are on at a sensible time! Cool album with rump-shaking beats. Good stuff!

This was a pleasant surprise, rootsy and funky. Like a Portuguese language samba JJ cale. Loved how he would sit in a groove and allow the band to lock in. Also surprised to discover the tune to do you think I’m sexy was originally here in the song Taj Mahal. One of the hidden surprises of this list

Good, laid-back summer music

Destaca este listado por la abundancia de artitas americanos y británicos, es decir la mayoría es en inglés. Fuera de esto, hay mucha world music y sobre todo música brasileña. Sería necesario revisar la escasez de música, latina, pero sobre todo en castellano o al menos mediterránes (italiana y española). Artistas como Sabina; Radio Futura o Serrat, obviamente Rosalía, parece imprescindible que estén aquí. En cuanto al dosco que nos ocupa, es importante, de gran influenci por ejemplo en Byrne, pero prefiero el sonido tropicalia y mucho más Clube da Esquina.

A fun album that further cemented my sense that Brazil in the 1960s and ‘70s was vibrant for its music as well as its football (in spite of the military dictatorship). As much as ‘O Jogo Bonito’ was more myth than reality for those teams, this almost feels like a sound track for that vibe- free flowing, fun, and well executed. I’m not sure I would place this any higher than ‘nice background music’ though ultimately. A good listen, but stuck in my head more for the vibe than specific moments.

This is the kind of album for which I’m really glad this list exists. There’s very little chance I’d have ever listened to it had I not signed up on this website, but I’m glad I did. It’s a really fun Brazilian album, with a cool and (to my British ears) unusual samba-rock sound, in which the percussion is a big highlight. I can’t say if the lyrics are any good, but I thought the vocals sounded pretty solid too. I probably won’t listen to it often, but I enjoyed it quite a bit, enough for a strong 3 stars.

Interesting. Never heard of before.

wel leuk! maar na een tijdje heb ik er wel genoeg ervan.

portugees klinkt als frans en spaans gemixt..

It surprised me how much I liked this album.

Only good vibes and something portuguese that is not a bossa! Feels like a random inclusion with the rich brazilian music scene but oh well

Not my jam but pretty cool. Won't relisten.

Nice

Fun samba rock. Might return to it in the future.

Interesting mix of cultures.

This was really good. Another one that I've never heard of before that I discovered through this. Probably listen to it more and it's ranking will probably go up as I digest it further

This had a fun rhythm to it and I think it does a good job of representing The Samba and MPB genres. 7/10

I mean it was pretty good. I don't think it's a genre I'll revisit, but it's fine.

This was fine. Won't list to it again, but "Taj Mahal" was good 2.5

pretty good

'África Brasil' contains a good amount of funky fun. Top tracks: "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)," "Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado," "África Brasil (Zumbi)"

i mean sure, whatever

--Ponta de Lanca Franco…head bopper --Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu…don’t understand the lyrics but the vibes are great. This could slide right into a Tarantino movie --O Filósofo…sounds like something Paul Simon stole for Graceland (complimentary) --Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro…starts out a head bopper but gets over complicated towards the end. still compelling --O Plebeu…maybe a little too busy but I could see this growing on me --Taj Mahal…fun groove. great rhythm guitar --Xica da Silva…another fun groove --A Historia de Jorge…Tarantino/Soderbergh shit. Hells ya --Camisa 10 da Gavea…nice bass but it’s too wordy. lyrics get in the way of the groove --Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado...the hips don't lie. booty shaker --África Brasil (Zumbi)...another great bass groove. there's a cool percussive chirp in the background, not sure what instrument it is

Enjoyable to listen to, a few bops

Fun! But not entirely memorable.

taj mahal was a huge standout for more excellent 70s brazilian music, listen to the I'M STILL HERE (2024) soundtrack

Ich habe mich gefreut, dass meine 2 Jahre Portugischer Wortschatzapp dazu geführt haben dass ich einzelne Worte wiedererkannt habe. Aber das hat mit der Musik ja nichts zu tun. Ich mag das, es läuft entspannt durch, ist okay abwechslungsreich. Aber es flasht mich jetzt nicht als absolute Entdeckung, vermutlich auch weil es so prägend für so viel gewesen ist was danach kommt. Solides Mittelfeld für mich. Fun Fact: er wohnt seit ein paar Jahren im Hotel, wie der Udo.

Great vibes! I've never listened to this kind of Brazilian groove before, but it definitely put me in a good mood. Ended up saving a couple of tracks to my library. Really cool surprise and a well-deserved 3 stars

Great and very cool. Love Brazilian Music.

Not much to note for me. The beats were good but nothing else stuck out too much.

Ok musically but couldn’t keep my interest.

Heck yeah, this was fun. Also apparently the Soulfly cover was hidden in the back of my brain.

This was a very fun samba, rock, soul album. I am enjoying the non english music I'm learning about, and this was great. Taj Mahal was particuarly good. I don't think I was fully into it, but still solid.

Lovely for a Friday morning drive to Brooklyn, windows down, reveling in the sunshine

It's a vibe

Ok

всё ещё не знаю чем я это заслужила. иц ок)

Faves: O Filosofo

Fun and bouncy in a seventies beach hotel way with little umbrellas in the drinks but after a while it gets too much.

I enjoyed this far more than I expected. Its a surprisingly easy listen given its a foreign language album and I usually put most of my value in the lyrics. That said I know I'll never listen again. Was nice to try something out of my comfort zone.

solid 3. a few good songs (favorite is probably "Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado").

This was a satisfying listen from a highly regarded album by Rolling Stone and an example of samba fusion with rock elements. Not an outstanding album but clearly very influential on Brazilian popular culture and a real contrast with Santana's virtuosic take on the samba form.

Yeah, liked it. A bit samey overall, but good vibes, nice bass sound, enjoyable.

Very groovy and funky. Has a lot of replay ability

This album is ok.

3.5 La primera mitad es buenisima

Groovy

Really good and soothing as background music.

tung tung tung jorgur

If I could understand it I would love it. But since I can’t I still like it just not as much. 3 stars

Another fantastic listen of an album from a place other than North America or the UK. Very groovy and funky, played with a lot of passion. Once again it made me wonder how many great albums are out there not from primarily english speaking countries. The inclusion of this album definitely puts a good portion of the english language albums on this list to shame. Would love to get some more fascinating world albums to replace the other crap on this list.

Never heard of album or group. Cool production on ponta de lança. Great bass line. Good vocals. Hermes is musically pretty good. Hard to comment on lyrics when I have no idea what they’re saying. Moderately catchy I guess. Really cool sounds on o filosofo. Again Greta production on meus filhos. Musically this album is super impressive. This one is pretty catch too. Good harmonies. Plebeu is pretty cool. I like the chorus best on this one. Some weird sounds that they used tho, don’t like the moaning type deal. More weird sounds on Taj Mahal but they work a lot better with the rest of the song. This is the best one so far I think. Xica da Silva is cool too. Very chill. Good writing even tho idk what he’s saying. Guitar solo towards the end is sick too. Just a really good song again. Jorge is fine. A little repetitive. Usually I hate whistles but it works really well on camisa. Really good keys on this one too. Cavaleiro is fine. Good production again but forgettable. The weird creaking sound they use in all the songs is really annoying me. Just unnecessary. Title track is really cool beyond that. Love the horns. Catchy vocals again. Overall this was a fun album. Nothing life changing but a really nice listen. 3.3/5

Have never heard of this artist. I've been pleasantly surprised with a bunch of the non-English language albums on this list - so eager to hear this one. Thoughts after listening 3 times... First song ("Ponta De Lanca Africano") has a great sound and fun energy. It also slightly reminded me of the Songhoy Blues group that I heard on this list. They are from Timbuktu, Mali in Africa. Their album from 2015 is on this list. Don't know if there is a direct influence there but it's cool to notice it. "Taj Mahal" - funny - while listening to this I noticed that the melody sounded like that Rod Stewart song - Do You Think I'm Sexy. Looked it up and sure enough Jorge Ben sued Rod Stewart and the settled out of court, This was from a couple of years before that song came out. This was a fun listen. I ended up liking 6 of the 11 songs - the 2 mentioned above plus "Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu", "Xica Da Silva", "Cavaliero Do Cavalo Imaculado", and "Africa Brasil (Zumbi)" Liked songs on Spotify: 6/11 Rating: 3/5

Groovy samba. The first track is a classic.

Had a hard time connecting to this music and the vocals annoyed me a bit on a couple of early tracks. But then it gets kinda fun and feels like it could playing at a cool party. Overall music is absolutely fine, and I’m sure it moves many people. For me , fun but meh.

Very chirpy.

Groovy

I thought this album just sounded okay, nothing bad but nothing that crazy

Listened to on my Apple EarPods. I threw this on before a walk on a bright, sunny day, and the album certainly matches that vibe. It's a genre I'm not too familiar with, MPB, and even though it is in a language foreign to me, there are still many rhythms and melodies to hook your ear in and engage. It's not my favorite style of music, and I found the album to be a little repetitive at times, especially with the heavy use of the cuíca instrument, which while fun and upbeat sounding seems pretty limited in range, making it feel a little tired to my ears as it carried it's way through the full length of multiple songs. I found myself particularly stuck on the track "O Plebeu", with a smooth and relaxing "la la la" singing out over many portions of the song, and I ran that one back many times. This was an enjoyable listen, and I'd definitely go back to it, even though I didn't get super attached to it.

Interesting

langweilig

Feels mean to give this a 2 because there's nothing inherently wrong with it, it's just not that enjoyable for me, but I'll be kind because it's fine really.

Get it Jorge!

This got better and better as it went on, I need to give it another listen. 3 for now, but it could easily turn into a 4.

Its hard for me to rate albums I don’t understand but I’ll say this. This was a really well done record sonically. I love the funkiness/groovieness that it carries throughout. It’s one of those records that regardless of wherever you are listening, you are teleported to an entire different universe. I got this same feeling with a Brazilian Jazz record recently, and here we are again. Also, you’re telling me Rod Stewart ripped this dude off for a shitty pop song?? #loredrop

Muy nice :D

Better than I thought it would be

having fun while we learn yay an album that shouldnt feel any more foreign than the rest of anglosaxon music up to now, but it still does; despite living with this language just a few kilometers away, i understand less than I understand in any other english recording these rhythms invite you to move, bringing your hands together at chest level and taking little steps. i find the pauses for explanations amusing. very good vibes, but it feels like the songs dont go anywhere. entertaining from beginning to end

Didn't listen to all of it but really liked what I heard

Классный дядя. Мне понравилось!

This is great. Not as funky as i expected but well done.

Weird shit, i have no idea what's happening but it would be perferct for samba dancing.

Perfectly timed listen whilst I am currently rereading Pelé’s autobiography. This album, combined with a bit of April sunshine, transported me to the beaches of Santos!

I listened to this while ripping through the nurburgring in an R34 Nissan GTR on a racing sim. The two didn’t match at all but it was a great experience. Also Rod Stewart fully stole the chorus from Taj Mahal

Fun album, dancy, funky, vibey

Saaaammbaaa , 2.999999991/5

lowkey peak

This was enjoyable, but the fact that the songs that came up on shuffle after I finished the album were markedly better/more enjoyable knocks it down.

pretty funky

I liked most of this album. The mix of beats was compelling. I enjoyed most of the vocals. I might listen again.

Good but liked it less than I thought I would.

Like it 3/5

Interesting mix of styles

This is fun - Ben's decision to use an electric guitar was a good one.

Day 224 Looking at the previous reviews, glad I wasn’t the first person to immediately look whether this was before Rod Stewart. Highlights Ponta de lanca africano Take Mahal

This was fun!

Started strong with a great funky vibe, but lost me at the third track. After that it was uneven, with a mix of pleasant and less interesting songs. As often with Samba / Latin music, it's musically solid, but a bit too sweet for my taste. Instrumentals are good, especially the electric parts, but the slightly corny singing kind of puts me off. I prefered the more African-sounding tracks, like Meus Filhos Meu Tesouro (I could almost mistake it for West-African music if it wasn't for the language). The last track, Africa Brasil, was also gorgeous. I doubt I'll come back to it, but I'm glad I listened once. I did enjoy the overall vibe of the album, it works better for me than the Astrud Gilberto record we got a few days ago. 6/10

Rhythmic samba-funk and MPB built on syncopated guitars, percussive grooves, electric bass, and warm, fluid vocals pulses with vibrant, organic energy. Listening feels like moving through a sunlit street festival where rhythms overlap and constantly invite motion. The result is lively and infectious, sustaining momentum with effortless groove inviting to dance but without doing it lost my interest soon.

Groovy, funky, fun 👌👌👌

Day 21 — Jorge Ben Jor — África Brasil (1976) Listened: Mar 19, 2026 Genre: Brazilian Funk / Samba-Soul / Afrobeat-influenced Pop Vibe: Fun Latin music infused with funk and pop Highlights: • Ponta de Lança Africano • Taj Mahal • Xica da Silva Impression: I enjoyed it despite not understanding the lyrics because of the relentless energy and funk infused into the music. Rating: 2.7/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Probably

So, two days in a row with an album by a Brazilian artist from the 1970s. I did like this one more than the others I've listened to. The music was much more upbeat with a funkier beat. It also sounded more modern to me with Ben using an electric guitar and the use of horns throughout. Still ready to move on to a different time period and genre, so fingers crossed that the next album the generator gives me is something different.

OK.... Didn't understand any of it but the vibe was solid enough.

c’est bien, mais sans jamais être exceptionnel 3.5/5

kind of sounds like chase scene music for a 1970s Portuguese cop show

It was pleasant but nothing stood out on this first listen - I might go back though as it was a nice album and might click with me later on?

Quite enjoyed this album, feels like a weaker version of "Clube Da Esquina". Probably inspired by "Clube" which is fine. 3/5

Surprisingly modern sounding for a pop album from the 70s. Fun.

Another one I probably would not have ever heard without this project. Obviously I wish I spoke Portuguese, but it's still pretty dang enjoyable stuff.

Really enjoyable. More stuff like this would be very welcome on this list.

its good but this isn't where I parked my car

3,5

Despite the obvious language barrier (Although I’m pretty sure I caught a “feche a porta” on one of the songs) I actually enjoyed this album. The beats are lively on every track and full of energy. I liked the use of a multitude of instruments and back up singers to make this cool sound. Not gonna lie, it reminded me of the soundtrack to the animated movie Rio on more than one occasion while listening but it was still a good break from the normal selections.

Brazilian funk? All right, I’m in. Got a little repetitive for me after a bit, but still a funkin’ good time.

Está bien incluir música brasileña en esta selección, pero no es memorable este interprete.

I thought I would like this one more than I did. The music is gorgeous, but I imagine this as a gold mine of tracks for a good playlist as opposed to a great single album listen.

Good album. I can't speak to the lyrics of course, but the instrumentation is quite interesting. Doesn't overstay its welcome. Would be open to listening again, even if it's not my thing.

Didn't understand a thing but straight vibes

Not bad

醒了

I find it difficult to critique a genere i'm really not familiar with, but this was a good listen

It's fine. Won't listen to it again.

Solid enough world music. Didn't leave much of a lasting impact.

I enjoyed this but it’s not something I see myself returning to. It definitely has a lot of great grooves and rhythms, and is extremely danceable, but for my taste it’s not something I would ever causally just throw on. I really appreciated the different blends of styles and genres between African and South American music, but for me personally they never came together to create anything wholly memorable.

Really catchy even though I have no clue what he is saying.

Having never been to Brazil, I cant really be confident of this statement, but I feel like Africa Brasil is representative of music in Rio at carnival time. This album is full of samba rhythm and party spirit and even makes a dancing impaired person like me want to move their hips. Strictly speaking this is a MPB or samba-funk album, which is a style of music I have never experienced before. It has lead electric guitar and strings. So appeals to a western ear. But add the Cuica (the hooting friction drum that you will absolutely know from other samba or carnival songs), cowbell and funky backing singers and the whole thing is just taken to a rich and fun place. Would listen to again. (3.000)

Yllättävän menevä ja kiva levy. Nollaodotuksilla liikkeelle, mutta yllätti positiivisesti.

Tässähän oli kiva meininki, kolmosta ruutuun

Good vibes, but not something I find myself coming back to.

Poucos artistas encarnam a musicalidade de um lugar como o Jorge Ben encarna o Rio de Janeiro, é impressionante como o som dele praticamente tem cheiro e imagem do lugar, brasilidade e latinidade reverberam. O titulo de Africa Brasil cai como uma luva o disco transpira o que é a afrobrasilidade, ele mescla figuras negras históricas como Xica da Silva e o componente da fé das religiões vindas da Africa como em Ponta de Lança Africano. Um discão onde o Jorge até se permite uma auto referência, um boa descoberta de um artista local que conheço pouco

One of the more enjoyable international records for me. Esp that Tah Mahal song LOL it’s Funky!

Not bad despite not knowing what they were singing about.

Nice

(4/7) a little too funky for my general lifestyle

Intressant med sydamerikansk funk och portugisiska. Stabilt sväng men många halvtrista låtar. Kul allmänbildande anekdot att Rod Stewart snodde melodin till Do you think im sexy rakt av från Taj Mahal.

Not awful, but not something I'd search out either. High energy kind of party vibes. I don't really like it for desk sitting.

I have no idea what he is saying, but the music is pretty groovy. It's got a classic latin feel, with a 70's vibe. Lot's of sax, synth, horns, with some bongo and symbols. I think if I understood it, I would like it a lot more. I find myself moving to the beat pretty often. Upbeat, groovy, dance music.

just like the bad bunny halftime show: don’t know what he said, but i enjoyed it.

Noice

I'll have to give this another listen. It was growing on me. I'd stop and listen if I passed them live at a festival. The playing is tight, they know what they're doing. Not really my go-to vibe though, especially the vocals.

Jorge Ben, África Brasil ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Album #17. I’d never heard of this album until I joined this and started the 1001 album generator. I’d seen it reviewed a few times and people have really waxed lyrical about it, giving it five stars. For me, it’s good. At points it’s very, very good. It’s just not really my thing. I like African-influenced music — I’m a big fan of Fela Kuti — but I don’t really care much for samba or that style in general. I don’t hate it. I just don’t feel much towards it. The positives: the vocals are incredible. Some of the songs, like the opener, “Xica da Silva” and “História de Jorge”, are class. And the repetitive rhythms are something I usually really enjoy in music, but unless the rhythm really catches me, it doesn’t bear repeating, if that makes sense. It’s an interesting album. I gave it a few listens when I had the time, but it didn’t click with me in the way it seems to for most people. Just my opinion. That said, I’m looking forward to more stuff like this. It was a completely new discovery for me, and I really enjoyed that part of the experience.

Interesting album. Cool grooves and catchy hooks.

Very fun

Those studio sessions must have been a blast. I want to know how one specializes in playing the rubber chicken... 3.4/5

I need to listen to this again, so many good grooves but I was a little distracted.

Not my thing, but thank fuck for something other than a shitty Brit pop record.

I'd never heard of the artist let alone the album but this was a lot of fun and really exciting and joyous fusion of music. Everyone talks about Taj Mahal from this album but that wasn't the one that landed best for me personally. Playlist Track: Africa Brasil (Zumbi)

There's quite a bit going on here, but works together really well. I have a soft spot for Portuguese and really enjoy the sound of it in music. I don't know what the lyrics are saying, but I appreciated the tunes and vocals a lot. 7/10

This was unlike anything I’ve listened to before but was a lot of fun.

Fine, but not something i will revisit.

I danced like crazy to this album

I'm usually more of a groove guy than a lyrics guy so this was cool. Cool music from someone I'd never heard of.

Very good vibes

This is great fun, and a reason I'm enjoying the journey of these 1001+ albums as I'd never known this existed until now. Didn't understand a word but it makes you want to dance. Taj Mahal is a banger and one I'll be adding to my playlists for a long time.

:)

This was such a fun album to listen to. Who knows what he is saying but it’s still a great time nonetheless.

Mouaiiiiiiiis

interesting. reminds me of davyd byrne work. rod stetewart story is crazy

3.5/5

First listen to this one. Pretty Cool.

Decent album, some good ones, hard to understand bc I only speak English

Started out funky and groovy, felt repetitive by the end. 3/5 stars.

Genuinely got me moving but I know other people who would admire this album

Actually heard this one before long ago, really sick MPB record. Very funky

helps with mood

Another album that fits into the category of not something I would ever seek out on my own but glad it was assigned.

Recorded in Brazil in 1976, released that same year. Good sounds, good rhythms. Well BUILT songs, basically from intros through the main bodies of the music. Defined as "samba rock" and also "samba funk." I would lean toward the second genre, good blend of elements that could have been produced in LA or New Orleans in the same era First song follows my rule of Opening Tracks, really grabs your ear. A few really good songs throughout, the only limit really bring my non-existent study of Portuguese. Alas, by the end of the album, a lot of the songs seemed like they were written/recorded with the same formula. It's a good formula, don't get me wrong, but kind of made them all a little less memorable for me. Good music, not great. Probably 3 1/2 stars, but 3 for this poll...

Really interesting background album. Couldn't understand a single word, which is fine. Guitar work is really great on this and I loved how lively the best and flow was throughout. Some fun riffs here and there.

3+

I would have thought this came out in the 1990s, not the 1970s. Impressive.

Did not understand a word of this, but had some pretty good grooves

Lowk a vibe

Ethnic African folk sounds. Interesting

This album is a lot of fun.

i can see at times when i really like it

groovy!

fun sound!

Here's an example of an album that I don't really feel qualified to talk about. Africa Brasil at it's samba-filled core seems like it'd be right up my alley. Maybe it's because I don't have the knowledge to understand the lyrics, but musically nothing really stood out here for me. Except the Cuica. The Cuica kills every time. Highlight: O Plebeu

#824. Decent. 3/5: good.

Do I like Brazilian bossa nova now? I guess I kinda do. A significant upgrade from my first experience with Brazilian music (Os Mutantes).

Listened Before? N This was unexpected! A very rockin' world-music album. I guess according to Wiki it's considered Samba Funk or Samba Rock. Whatever it is, I found it charming and groovy. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Ponta De Lanca Africano

Groovy

Nice beats

I enjoy hearing world music from time to time. This was enjoyable.

surprisingly pretty good. Not what i usually listen to but i enjoyed it quite a bit

This one was fun. 3.5/5

Pretty good. Not into it enough to warrant a 4 though.

Enjoyable good music. Nice to get something from somewhere other than the US/UK.

Good instruments and voice.