África Brasil

África Brasil
Studio album by
Jorge Ben
Released1976
StudioPhonogram (Rio de Janeiro)
Genre
Length41:01
LabelPhilips
ProducerMarco Mazzola
Jorge Ben chronology
Gil e Jorge
(1975) 		África Brasil
(1976) 		Tropical
(1977)

África Brasil is a studio album by Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist Jorge Ben. It was released in 1976 by Philips Records. The album was recorded in ten days at Phonogram Studios in Rio de Janeiro with a large ensemble of musicians, including Ben's backing band Admiral Jorge V. During these sessions, Ben adopted the electric guitar in place of the acoustic guitar that had been central to his earlier recordings.

Musically, the album blends MPB, samba-funk, samba-rock and soul with Afro-Brazilian percussion. Its lyrics include references to football, love, childhood and Afro-Brazilian cultural themes. Upon release, África Brasil received critical acclaim, with reviewers noting its blend of genres. Featured in the reference book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005), the album was ranked 22nd place in Rolling Stone's list of the 50 best albums of all time.

Background

Jorge Ben began his professional recording career with Philips Records in 1963, when the label released his debut album Samba Esquema Novo.[1] The record blended Afro-Brazilian heritage with global African-American music.[2] After the album's success, Philips encouraged Ben to record additional albums in a similar style, leading to the release of three albums within 18 months.[1] The series' musical style was described by Robert Leaver as "a modern, urban take on samba infused with other Afro-Brazilian rhythms", which "made him popular with the youth".[3] After leaving Philips in the mid-1960s, Ben briefly worked as an independent artist. His only album during this period, O Bidú: Silêncio no Brooklin, was released in 1967 by an independent label and had limited commercial impact.[1] The record nevertheless renewed industry interest in Ben, and in 1969 he re-signed with Philips under the leadership of executive André Midani.[1][4] From 1969 onward, Ben released a series of albums for Philips throughout the 1970s.[1]

Since the beginning of Ben's professional musical career, when he was already moving away from the bossa nova arrangements that were popular in the Brazilian music scene at the time, Ben incorporated strongly syncopated elements of Afro-Brazilian popular music into his work,[5] blending them with influences from American funk and rhythm and blues.[6] Ben's pre-África Brasil work had long been characterized by riff-driven structures, rhythmic precision, and the use of percussion to create distinctive, danceable grooves.[3] Alongside the strong influence of African-American music on his early albums, his work began to gain more visibility and has been cited by critics as an early influence on what later became known as samba rock—a subgenre defined by the fusion of Black popular music from Brazil and the United States, which scholars have associated closely with Ben's work.[5] After his 1974 album A Tábua de Esmeralda and his live collaboration with Gilberto Gil, Gil e Jorge (1975), Ben set aside the acoustic guitar in favor of the electric guitar.[7]

Recording and production

África Brasil was recorded at Phonogram Studios in Rio de Janeiro[8] over the course of ten days.[9] According to Okayplayer journalist Greg Caz the album reflected musical directions that Jorge Ben had been developing in earlier work, describing it as "something Jorge had been building toward for some time".[1] For the sessions, Ben assembled an expanded group of musicians at Philips' new 16-track studios in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro,[1] including his band Admiral Jorge V, originally a four-member group, with fourteen additional instrumentalists and five backing vocalists.[10] During the recording process, Ben decided to replace his acoustic guitar with an electric guitar, influenced by Dadi Carvalho, a former member of Novos Baianos. This change took place after a trip to London, where Carvalho acquired an Ibanez guitar that caught Ben's attention. They eventually swapped instruments: Ben kept Carvalho's guitar, while Carvalho received Ben's Fender Precision Bass.[11][12]

Carvalho stated that Ben directed the sessions, with José Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth arranging the orchestral parts and Marco Mazzola contributing backing vocals.[4] Paulinho Tapajós, who produced Ben's previous albums, was replaced by Mazzola, who was also responsible for the mixing.[13] However, during the recording sessions, Philips withdrew producer Marco Mazzola, a decision that Ben opposed. Mazzola stated that no one wanted to take on the challenge of recording an album with two drum kits, two basses, and a large group of additional musicians.[4] Mazzola then traveled to the United States to take a specialized recording course to learn about new recording techniques and how to operate the equipment,[14] asking Ben to wait for his return to Brazil and the arrival of a 16-track mixing console.[4] He ultimately also served as the audio engineer, since the professional originally assigned to the task was unable to handle the new equipment.[4] The album's cover depicts Ben mid-performance; Aldo Luiz handled the design, Orlando Abrunhosa provided the photography, and Jorge Vianna finalized the artwork.[15]

After the recordings were completed, Ben traveled for a concert. Upon returning, he discovered that the album had been finalized without his input. He was dissatisfied with both the mixing and the cover art.[4] Regardless, África Brasil was released in 1976 by Philips Records.[1] Though released under the military dictatorship in Brazil, África Brasil avoided censorship and did not contain explicit political commentary. The title subtly references historical ties, framing Africa and Brazil as interconnected through shared cultural memory.[2] Jorge Ben's indignation in relation to Mazzola's forced withdrawal led him to leave Philips after the release and to sign a contract with Som Livre, where he continued to enjoy commercial success while adopting a more pop-oriented direction.[4] África Brasil was released prior to a period of wider recognition for Jorge Ben at the Som Livre label, which would come with albums such as A Banda do Zé Pretinho (1978).[16]

Music

Overview

[África Brasil] was a tribute to the African rhythms that arrived here, which took roots in Brazil. All around the Northeast region you see the rhythms: forró, baião, xaxado. Everything comes from Africa. Everything. Totally, totally, totally. American funk itself, American blues, everything... They came to Brazil and were gradually blended, at the time, with those Renaissance melodies of the priests, organs, that church music... How is that ever possible? That mix of African and Renaissance music. These wonderful things. And África Brasil was this tribute that I wanted to pay.

— Jorge Ben in an interview with Kamille Viola[17]

África Brasil consists of eleven tracks and music critics have described it as an MPB, samba-funk,[8] samba-rock[18] and soul[6] recording. Ben shifted from his characteristic acoustic samba-soul or samba-rock style to an electric guitar, adopting an approach that combined core elements of samba with funk-influenced rhythms.[19] Several tracks on the album are re-recorded versions of Ben's earlier compositions, such as "Zumbi" and "O Plebeu", reimagined with a funk-influenced aesthetic.[2]

In the album, Ben connected his electric guitar and, as Caz wrote, "unleashed a hurricane of samba-tinged funk",[1] while featuring a mixture of multiple Brazilian percussion instruments such as atabaques, cuícas, pandeiros and surdos.[4][20] This percussive setup also included instruments typical of Cuban music, such as congas and tumbas, which stem from the Afro-Cuban tradition and added a more acoustic sound in contrast to the other electrified instruments.[21] The album has also been cited as part of a shift in Jorge Ben's work toward a more pop-oriented approach.[20]

Lyrics

Thematically, the album address themes such as football, love, medievalism, négritude and childhood.[12] In África Brasil, as in other works, Jorge Ben addressed racial themes in a distinctive and positive way, highlighting Black culture during a time when racism was often overlooked in Brazil.[16] Its lyrics evoke a sense of historical continuity and solidarity between Africa and Brazil,[2] reflecting an increased emphasis on Afro-Brazilian identity.[19] África Brasil is considered the last album of the so-called "mystical trilogy" started with Tábua de Esmeralda (1974) and Solta o Pavão (1975); the three albums incorporate recurring references to alchemical symbolism in their lyrics.[9] The album reflects Ben's role as an observer of everyday life in his lyrics, portraying reality and personal experiences, while his music shows the influence of Afro-Brazilian culture.[16]

The album's opening track "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)" is a salute to an African football player.[19] According to the artist, the inspiration came from a match he watched in France.[22] The track incorporates strong African musical influences, including repeated phrases, chant-like vocal patterns, and onomatopoeias resembling Yoruba phonemes.[12] The track "Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu" explores the theme of alchemy by incorporating excerpts from the original text of the Emerald Tablet, a cryptic piece of Hermetica reputed to contain the secret of the prima materia and its transmutation. The song bears similarities with the 1974 track from A Tábua de Esmeralda, "Hermes Trismegisto e Sua Celeste Tábua de Esmeralda", which also set the same text to music.[23] The track "O Filósofo", featured on the album África Brasil, addresses the theme of alchemy. Its lyrics describe a man who "arrived philosophizing in a somewhat angelic tone of voice / Explaining the phenomenon / And the understanding of celestial agriculture". This figure appears to be a reference to the alchemist Paracelsus. In interviews, Ben even refers to Paracelsus as a philosopher and associates him with celestial agriculture.[23]

"Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro" expresses affection for children and support for their aspirations.[19] It opens with a solo guitar and Jorge Ben's signature phrase "Salve, simpatia!" ('Greetings, kindness!'). In the lyrics, Ben, then married but not yet a father, imagines the future of three fictional children—Arthur Miró, Anabela Gorda, and Jesus Correia—whom he refers to as "trigênios" ('trigeniuses').[24] "O Plebeu" is a track originally recorded for the 1974 album Sacundin Ben Samba, which features a man expressing confidence that his declaration of love to a princess will be accepted.[19] The track combines a light vocal chorus with synthesizer lines influenced by funk rhythms.[18] "Taj Mahal", first recorded on the 1972 album Ben, is arranged with additional lyrics in a faster version which Eric Sandler of Revive Music describes as "punchier".[1][18] The lyrics reference to the story of the eponymous mausoleum located in Agra, India. The monument was built by order of emperor Shah Jahan as a testament of love for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.[25]

"Xica da Silva" is described by Leaver as a "samba-funk hybrid".[3] Broaching a theme of négritude, the song references the historical figure Francisca da Silva de Oliveira, a formerly enslaved Black woman who gained social standing in 18th-century Minas Gerais. Kamille Viola associates the use of atabaques with musical traditions rooted in Brazil's colonial period.[26] "A História de Jorge" is a track that takes the form of a fable, delivered more as spoken word with a refrain than traditional singing. The lyrics include a self-referential element, with the narrator—named Jorge—appearing as a friend who brings a star to a boy in the story, positioning himself as the hero.[23] The composition blends humor with imaginative storytelling to depict an everyday scene with a touch of fantasy. "Camisa 10 da Gávea" reflects Ben's deep passion for football and his favorite team, Flamengo. The song was inspired by a memorable match at Maracanã Stadium on 7 March 1976, when Zico scored four goals against Fluminense. After the game, Ben entered the changing room singing about the player's achievement. In the lyrics, he references Zico's nickname, "Galinho de Quintino", celebrating the athlete's role and blending football with musical expression.[11]

The track "Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado" portrays Saint George as an Africanized figure beyond his traditional syncretism with Ogum, using titles linked to Afro-Brazilian religious symbolism and African identity, alongside medieval imagery. In the lyrics, Jorge Ben attributes titles to the character such as "Lion of the Empire", "Minister of Zambi on Earth" — with Zambi being a deity in Angolan Candomblé — and "Prince of all Africa".[15] "África Brasil (Zumbi)" is a new version of the song originally released as "Zumbi" on A Tábua de Esmeralda. Ben's voice blends with the instrumentation, pushing the song toward rock and away from traditional MPB structures. Lyrically, it invokes the legacy of the Afro-Brazilian resistance leader Zumbi to question Brazil's myth of racial democracy.[3] Ben seems to summon the various peoples brought to Brazil through the Atlantic slave trade: "Angola, Congo, Benguela, Monjolo, Cabinda, Mina, Quiloa, Rebolo". These place names, from where enslaved Africans were taken to Brazil, carried a different meaning during the colonial period—they referred not only to the regions but also to the individuals or their ancestry.[11][27]

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Spectrum Culture85%[2]
Tom Hull – on the WebA−[28]

Many critics evaluated África Brasil positively and have considered it one of the best albums by Ben.[a] Philip Jandovský from the database AllMusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five and said that the album is "undoubtedly one of the greatest classics of Brazilian popular music". He praised Ben's mix of a "funky" samba, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, and powerful guitars, calling the result "one of the most fascinating sounds ever recorded in Brazil".[8] Christopher J. Lee, writing for Spectrum Culture, calls África Brasil one of Jorge Ben's best-known and most vital works, describing it as a politically charged, musically exuberant fusion of Brazilian rhythms and African-American funk.[2] Tom Hull wrote that the album has a "dense rhythm, much going on, but flows easily enough, some kind of masterpiece".[28]

Music critic Rodney Taylor described África Brasil as a radical reinvention of Ben's sound, comparing its impact to "Dylan going electric" and noting its lasting influence on Ben's later output. He emphasized the album's deepened funk influence, stating that Ben explores "how far [he] can take his samba-rock-funk synthesis", with the answer being "far indeed".[30] Greg Caz said that the album turned out to be "a universally-revered heavyweight funk masterpiece".[1] Music writer Robert Leaver said that África Brasil is "one of the most compelling recordings to burst forth from the Americas", notable for both its influence and "timeless brilliance".[3] Eliseo Cardona at Spanish-language newspaper El Nuevo Herald called África Brasil Jorge Ben's "masterpiece" and wrote that that Ben "raised the bar of the Tropicália movement" and brought attention to Brazil's African roots, blending "the sensuality of funk" and "the aggressiveness of rock" into "this marvelous album".[29]

Commercially, the album sold approximately 60,000 copies in Brazil.[31] Imported copies of África Brasil were readily available in well-stocked record stores in the United States, and Ben's influence had grown considerably.[1] The track "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)" was initially not a hit in Brazil, but garnered popularity when included on David Byrne's 1989 compilation Brazil Classics Beleza Tropical,[1] prompting rotation of a video for the track on VH-1.[32][33] In 1991, Ambitious Lovers released a cover song on twelve-inch single that became a dance hit.[33] "Xica Da Silva" garnered more attention at the time, both in Brazil and in more alternative circles in the United States, particularly within the disco scene.[1] África Brasil was included in the reference book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, published in 2005.[6] África Brasil was elected 22nd in its list of "50 Coolest Records" by the Rolling Stone magazine of the United States, as one of the few non-English-language albums.[34] Conversely, album was voted the 67th best Brazilian album of all time in a list published in October 2007 by the Brazilian Rolling Stone magazine.[35] In May 2022, the album was voted the 42nd greatest Brazilian album by the Discoteca Básica  podcast.[36]

In 1978, British rock singer Rod Stewart lifted a melody from "Taj Mahal" for his hit song "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?". Ben filed a plagiarism copyright infringement lawsuit against Stewart, to which Stewart admitted in his 2012 autobiography to "unconscious plagiarism" of Ben's song, which he had heard while attending the Rio Carnival in 1978.[37] The case was "settled amicably" according to Ben, in Ben's favor.[38] The upshot of which was Stewart's agreement to donate his royalties from the song to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), performing the song at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly in January 1979.[39] The thematic overview from the album, covering racial topics positively has also influenced artists like Mano Brown.[16]

Track listing

All songs were written by Jorge Ben.[40]

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)"3:52
2."Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu"3:02
3."O Filósofo"3:27
4."Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro"3:53
5."O Plebeu"3:07
6."Taj Mahal"3:09
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Xica da Silva"4:05
2."A História de Jorge"3:49
3."Camisa 10 da Gávea"4:04
4."Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado"4:46
5."África Brasil (Zumbi)"3:47
Total length:41:01

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[40]

Admiral Jorge V

Additional musicians
Production
  • Jorge Ben Jor – basic arrangements
  • José Roberto Bertrami – orchestral arrangements
  • Marco Mazzola – vocal arrangements, production and studio direction, mixing engineer
  • Ary Carvalhaes – recording engineer
  • Luigi Hoffer – recording engineer
  • Paulo Sérgio "Chocô" – recording engineer
  • João Moreira – recording engineer
  • Rafael Azulay – studio assistant
  • Aldo Luiz – cover art
  • Jorge Vianna – final art
  • Orlando Abrunhosa – photography

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Attributed to multiple references:[2][8][9][20][29]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Caz, Greg (15 December 2011). "Brute Force: A Look At Jorge Ben's Recorded Work". Revive. Okayplayer. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Lee, Christopher J. (4 September 2024). "Jorge Ben: África Brasil". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e Leaver, Robert (n.d.). "Jorge Ben – Biography". Amoeba Music. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Nascimento, Débora (22 March 2021). "África Brasil". Revista Continente (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b Oliveira, Luciana Xavier (11 June 2012). "África Brasil (1976): Uma Análise Midiática do Álbum de Jorge Ben Jor". Contemporanea (in Portuguese). 10 (1): 159–160. doi:10.9771/contemporanea.v10i1.5820 (inactive 1 July 2025). ISSN 1809-9386.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
  6. ^ a b c Dimery, Robert (2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Preface by Michael Lydon. Octopus. p. 362. ISBN 978-1-84403-714-8. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  7. ^ Matias, Alexandre (October 2007). "África Brasil – Jorge Ben (1976, Philips)". Rolling Stone Brasil. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e Jandovský, Philip (n.d.). "África Brasil – Jorge Ben". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  9. ^ a b c Yu, Isabela (27 January 2021). "Mitos e Verdades Sobre África Brasil". Monkeybuzz (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  10. ^ Viola 2021, p. 74.
  11. ^ a b c Antunes, Pedro (2 December 2020). "África Brasil: 4 Segredos Revelados Pelo Livro Sobre Clássico de Jorge Ben". Splash (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  12. ^ a b c Viola 2021, p. 85.
  13. ^ Oliveira 2008, p. 153.
  14. ^ Viola 2021, pp. 75–76.
  15. ^ a b Viola 2021, p. 88.
  16. ^ a b c d Schott, Ricardo (15 March 2021). "O Mistério de África Brasil (e de Jorge Ben)". Pop Fantasma (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  17. ^ Viola 2021, p. 81.
  18. ^ a b c Terich, Jeff (15 March 2023). "Treble 100: No. 82, Jorge Ben – Africa Brasil". Treble. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  19. ^ a b c d e Cataliotti, Robert H. (25 June 2019). "The Radical Samba Rock Of Jorge Ben's 'África Brasil'". Vinyl Me, Please. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  20. ^ a b c Oliveira 2008, p. 152.
  21. ^ Oliveira 2008, p. 156.
  22. ^ "Jorge Ben Faz 76 anos! 7 Músicas Dele Sobre Futebol – e Algumas Polêmicas" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  23. ^ a b c Viola 2021, p. 89.
  24. ^ Viola 2021, p. 90.
  25. ^ Miquelutti, Guilherme (13 March 2020). "Taj Mahal de Jorge Ben Jor". Rádio Senado (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  26. ^ Viola 2021, p. 86.
  27. ^ Viola 2021, pp. 86–87.
  28. ^ a b Hull, Tom (3 May 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  29. ^ a b Cardona, Eliseo (20 January 2000). "25 Discos del Siglo XX: Brasil". El Nuevo Herald (in Spanish). p. 53. Retrieved 8 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ Taylor, Rodney (8 December 2012). "December 2012 Notebook". Tom Hull – on the Web. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  31. ^ Oliveira 2008, p. 108.
  32. ^ McGowan, Chris; Pessanha, Ricardo (1991). The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil. New York: Billboard Books. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-8230-7673-4.
  33. ^ a b Lannert, John (21 May 1994). "Jorge Ben Jor, WEA Turn Efforts to U.S." Billboard. pp. 1, 75.
  34. ^ "Álbum 'África Brasil', de Jorge Ben Jor, Completa 40 Anos e Ganha Homenagem". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 July 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  35. ^ "Os 100 Maiores Discos da Música Brasileira". Rolling Stone Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese) (13th ed.). October 2007. p. 109.
  36. ^ Pires, Fernando; et al. (2022). Alexandre, Ricardo; Marsiglia, Luciano (eds.). Os 500 Maiores Álbuns Brasileiros de Todos os Tempos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul: Jambô Editora. ISBN 978-65-88634-33-2.
  37. ^ Stewart, Rod. Rod: The Autobiography (2012): 225–226
  38. ^ "Brazil's Alchemist of Funk: Tropical Superstar Jorge Ben Jor Brings the Funk to Germany". Expatica Germany. 22 July 2004. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  39. ^ (AP) "Frost Sets UNICEF Show" The Robesonian 30 November 1978: 1
  40. ^ a b Ben, Jorge (1976). África Brasil (LP liner notes). Jorge Ben. Philips Records. 6349 187.

Bibliography

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