Jorge Ben (later Jorge Ben Jor), born in Rio de Janeiro in 1939, kicked off Brazil's samba-pop fusion with Samba Esquema Novo (1963) and wrote the much-covered Mas, Que Nada! África Brasil (1976) — samba, soul, funk, and African traditions in one — is the essential record. Find Jorge Ben vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Jorge Duílio Lima Menezes, performing as Jorge Ben (and since 1989 as Jorge Ben Jor), was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 22, 1939. His debut Samba Esquema Novo (1963, Philips) opened the way for the samba-pop fusion movement of the 1960s. His song Mas, Que Nada! has been covered extensively across multiple decades, most famously by Sergio Mendes. His landmark África Brasil (1976) brought together samba, soul, funk, and African musical traditions in a influential synthesis. He has continued releasing material across multiple decades.
Jorge Ben's sound combines samba, MPB (Brazilian popular music), samba rock, funk, soul, bossa nova, and Brazilian rhythm with his distinctive vocal delivery and innovative integration of African and African-American musical influences with Brazilian samba traditions.
Original Philips Brazil pressings of the Jorge Ben catalog are foundational items in Brazilian music collecting. Multiple anniversary editions and the comprehensive Universal Brazil reissue programs have been released.
Listeners new to Jorge Ben typically start with África Brasil (1976) or A Tábua de Esmeralda (1974).
