Jorge Ben – Jorge Ben (1969) 320 kbs ABR

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Jorge Ben
‘JORGE BEN’
1969 Philips

1. Criola
2. Domingas
3. Cade Tereza
4. Barbarella
5. Pais Tropical
6. Take It Easy My Brother Charles
7. Descobri Que Eu Sou Um Anjo
8. Bebete Vaobora
9. Quem Foi Que Roubou A Sopeira De Porcelana Chinesa Que A Vovo Ganhou Da Baronesa?
10. Que Pena
11. Charles, Anjo 45

This is an essential album from Jorge Ben and (until just this year!) has been rather scarce to track down. NOTE ** This rip comes from the original Philips CD pressing and not from the one on Dusty Groove’s label. ** I will probably get the latter in the near future and I could post it here, but I recommend everyone give their money to Dusty Groove America anyway because they are the GREATEST RECORD STORE OF ALL TIME and deserve it. They’ve been very picky about what music they reissue, exercising their world-famous exquisite taste — but I’d love to see them reissue more goodies so give them your $$ and help ’em out!

All of Jorge Ben’s material up through the late 70s is golden, but this period of 1969-1976 was especially fruitful. This album marks a new chapter in his discography, considerably broadening out his sound pallete. His records of the mid-70s (A Tábua de Esmeralda especially) would get slightly more experimental than this one, but this album contains the track “Descobri que eu sou um anjo” (I discovered that I am an angel), which surely ranks as Ben’s strangest composition yet still manages to groove. Incidentally, I saw Caetano Veloso perform this track as an encore during his last tour — it was the highlight of the show for me, since his new record was rather lackluster and he was being backed the Brazilian equivalent of U2 in 1990 (this is not a compliment, FYI). But to come back on stage and play this “deep cut” for an American audience 95% of which wouldn’t recognize it — well, I forgave Caetano for the misguided ‘rocker’ persona he’s been flauting lately. This Jorge Ben record ought to be as famous and ubiquitous as Caetano’s 1969 “white album”, or other gems from 69 like Abbey Road. It’s a milestone and always a pleasure.

(from Dusty Groove dot com)

A samba soul masterpiece from Jorge Ben — one of the most brilliant records to come out the fertile late 60s Brazilian scene — and an incredible album that works with the psychedelic flourishes of Ben’s contemporaries and a deeper undercurrent of soul & funk! This is one of the most amazing early Jorge Ben LPs, recorded at the end of the 60s, when Jorge was singing with a stone-cold soul sound. The sharp, tight arrangements by Rogerio Duprat & Jose Briamonte made tracks like “Pais Tropical”, “Take It Easy My Brother Charles”, and “Que Pena” immediate classics — while the percussion and rhythms of Trio Mocoto provide a good part of the unique backdrop. The album is a mix of funky samba, soaring Brazilian soul, and sweeping orchestrations that give the whole thing a jazzy finish — and it’s some of the best work that Jorge Ben ever recorded! Other tracks include “Criola”, Cade Tereza”, “Domingas”, “Barbarella”, “Quem Foi Que Roubou A Sopeira” and more.

(From Wikiepedia)

“In 1969, Jorge Ben released his self-titled album amid the excitement of the cultural and musical Tropicália movement. The album featured Trio Mocotó as his backing band, who would go on to launch a successful career on the back of their association with Ben. The album was noted for “País Tropical,” one of his most famous compositions, although it would be Wilson Simonal who would take his recording of the song to the top of the charts in Brazil that same year. Instead, the song “Charles, Anjo 45″, also from the self-titled album, would become Ben’s biggest self-performed chart hit of the year.”

(From Slipcue dot com… Incidentally I think he’s wrong in his interpretation of the manacles but that’s neither here nor there…)

Jorge Ben “Jorge Ben” (Philips, 1969)
An excellent album, with some of his catchiest songs, many of which often make it onto best-of compilations. Wildly inventive, syncretic, experimental pop music, ranging from San Francisco-sound psychedelia to spaghetti western schmaltz, and deep, heavy samba-soul. The album is both soulful and playful, as when he sings the last half of one song in a funny voice, with his nose pinched shut, or when the string section veers into bent-note atonality. The album art shows Ben with the emblem of the Flamengo futbol team on his guitar, and broken manacles on his wrists — the latter presumably a powerful statement about the military dictatorship which was running the country at the time, and actively trying to repress the tropicalia movement. One of his best records… definitely worth tracking down!

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6 Comments

  1. This looks like a classic too! What a great discovery. I like the cover as well. And yes I will support the Dusty Groove label and buy the albums I like from them. Their work with re-issues are fantastic!

    The pleasure is mine. Thanx Flabbergast!

  2. My two favorite albums in a row.

  3. Wow. I found this blog when looking for Terry Callier’s What Color is Love which I’ve lost and thought “well the guy has good taste, so I’ll try another” and downloaded Gillian Welch and this album blind – both fantastic – your taste is exceptional and I’ll be buying both albums.

    I’ll be trying out a lot more of your stuff on this blog now, thanks for sharing!

  4. MF link is broken.Please reupload.Thanks.

  5. Any chance you could re-upload this? Thanks.

  6. Pingback: Jorge Ben – Jorge Ben (1969) [Salve, Jorge! Boxset] – Flabbergasted Vibes

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