JORGE BEN

JORGE BEN

Genres: samba, mpb, brazilian, Bossa Nova, brasil

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About JORGE BEN

Jorge Duílio Lima Menezes (born in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, on March 22, 1939), better known as Jorge Ben or Jorge Ben Jor, is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. In 2008, Rolling Stone Brazil named him the 5th greatest artist in the history of Brazilian music. He was also included in the magazine’s 2012 list of the 30 Greatest Brazilian Icons of Guitar and Acoustic Guitar. His characteristic style includes various elements such as rock, samba, samba-rock, bossa nova, jazz, maracatu, funk, ska, and hip hop, with lyrics that mix humor and satire, as well as esoteric themes. Jorge Ben’s work holds a unique importance in Brazilian music for incorporating new elements into swing and in the way of playing the guitar, with characteristics of American rock, soul, and funk. In addition, he brought in Arab and African influences, inherited from his mother, who was born in Ethiopia. He influenced sambalanço and samba-rock and has been covered and honored by countless exponents of new generations of Brazilian music, such as Mundo Livre S/A, Os Paralamas do Sucesso, Skank, Fernanda Abreu, Racionais MC's, and Belô Velloso. Jorge Ben Jor broke out with the song “Mas Que Nada” and soon after confirmed his talent with another great success, “Chove Chuva.” These two songs were neither bossa nova nor samba. Purists thought his music was too modern. At the time, it was difficult for musicians to accompany him, so much so that his early records were made with a samba jazz group that played at the Beco das Garrafas, Meirelles e os Copa 5, led by saxophonist J. T. Meirelles. In the early 1960s, he performed at the Beco das Garrafas, one of the strongholds of bossa nova. In 1963, he got on stage and sang “Mas Que Nada”, which he had already recorded as a vocalist for the organist Zé Maria’s ensemble for a small audience that included an executive from the Philips record label. Two months later, Jorge Ben’s first single was released, which also included “Por Causa de Você Menina.” That same year, he released his first LP, Samba Esquema Novo, accompanied by the samba jazz group Meirelles e os Copa Cinco. At that time, Jorge Ben became a unanimous favorite among music critics, as he brought a new beat—the so-called samba rock—that appealed to both extremes of Brazilian music: bossa nova and the Jovem Guarda. “Mas Que Nada” was his first major hit in Brazil and remains one of the most played Portuguese-language songs in the United States, especially in the version by Brazilian pianist Sérgio Mendes with American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas. It was also one of the few Portuguese songs to succeed in that country (along with “The Girl from Ipanema”), and it was later covered by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Jarreau, Herb Alpert, José Feliciano, Trini Lopez, Belle & Sebastian, Coldplay (at Rock in Rio 2011), and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (at Lollapalooza 2018). Other compositions such as “Zazueira” and “Nena Naná” achieved relative success in Brazil. His hybrid rhythm also caused some problems early on, when Brazilian music was divided between the Jovem Guarda movement and the more traditional MPB, with socially engaged lyrics. In the following decade, Jorge Ben dedicated himself to promoting his music abroad. In 1989, he changed his stage name from Jorge Ben to Jorge Benjor, later modified to Jorge Ben Jor. At the time, it was speculated that the change was due to numerology, but the more likely explanation was to avoid confusion with the American musician George Benson, since Jorge Ben was beginning to gain recognition in the United States. In this new phase, his music became more pop-oriented, though still groovy. He stated that he began using the electric guitar because he could not hear the acoustic guitar during shows. His song “W/Brasil (Chama o Síndico),” released in 1990, became a dance floor hit in 1993, turning into a true craze of the time. The track is also a tribute to singer Tim Maia and was created at the request of Washington Olivetto, owner of the advertising agency W/Brasil, who asked him to make a song about the agency. In 2004, Jorge Ben Jor released Reactivus Amor Est (Turba Philosophorum), his first album with new songs since 1995. Still active, his concerts usually last about three hours, with audiences mostly made up of young people. He made a special appearance in the 2006 DVD 1000 Trutas, 1000 Tretas by rap group Racionais MC’s, where he performed the song “Abenção Mamãe, Abenção Papai.” In 2012, he took part in Luau MTV, although the recording was never released on CD or DVD. On February 14, 2018, he released the single “São Valentim,” inspired by the Catholic saint of the same name. The date dedicated to the saint is used to celebrate Valentine’s Day in many countries around the world.

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