Jorge Ben Jor on DeBaser: reviews, albums and facts

The Profile

Jorge Ben Jor is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter who fused samba, bossa nova, soul, funk, and rock into a signature samba-rock style. Internationally recognized for “Mas, que nada,” he has released landmark albums including Samba Esquema Novo (1963), A Tábua de Esmeralda (1974), and África Brasil (1976). Formerly known as Jorge Ben, he adopted the name Jorge Ben Jor later in his career.

Composer of “Mas, que nada” (1963) and “Taj Mahal” (1972); leading figure in MPB and samba-rock; released acclaimed albums such as A Tábua de Esmeralda and África Brasil; performed and recorded under the names Jorge Ben and Jorge Ben Jor.

Two DeBaser reviews frame Jorge Ben Jor as a joyous architect of samba-rock and MPB. One dives into the esoteric sleeve and rhythmic cohesion of A Tábua de Esmeralda; the other surveys his hits and the África Brasil era. Expect acoustic-guitar propulsion, percussion heft, and instant-chorus hooks—far from saudade. Signature tracks like Mas, que nada and Taj Mahal surface throughout.

Notable Quotes

❝ Musically, however, it presents undeniable compactness; it's the acoustic guitar that drives everything else, o violão brasileiro without virtuosity, dry and rhythmic, then Jorge Ben's voice, more serious compared to his beginnings and which at certain moments curiously expands with echoes and other spatial effects that seem to come from dub (but did dub exist in '74?), a fascinating way of interpreting Brazilian popular music, different from the Bahia tropicalism, a samba-rock of great impact and generous in pleasant sensations that manage to sustain numerous listens even for a rock opponent like me who uses and tosses pop (or just tosses it).