Thursday, January 24, 2008

Jorge Ben - Ben (1972)

I have this album since the first issue in 1972 and only with Loronix I could realize how important it was to my infatuation with this magical human creation called music. Not only for the great music inside, but also for the whole experience available on this nice piece. Think about a little kid with the age of 7, holding this awesome cover with the coolest guy with the greatest attitude ever seen on his short life. I remember to hold this cover when hearing this album thinking fantastic things about Jorge Ben, stupid things such like, "He is waiting for his payment after making this album", or "he just bought a new car and is waiting for it at the car agency". Anyway, Jorge Ben is great and I'm very happy to find this album after decades and have the chance to show it for our great community. Let's see.

This is Jorge Ben - Ben (1972), for Philips. I cannot say it is the best Jorge Ben album due my personal affairs explained before, but the reviews I could read today confirm that Ben is really worth checking. Jorge Ben delivers some of his most successful songs for the fist time here with everything based on "acoustic Samba" with Jorge Ben guitar in the foreground backed by a brass section with lots of bass and percussion. Personnel was not credited by Philips and Maestro Osmar Milito is in charge of arrangements on tracks 03 - Paz e Arroz, 04 - Moca and 11 - Taj Mahal, the song Rod Stewart used as the basis to his "Do You Think I'm Sexy?” a long story that I invite friends to discuss at comments section. Tracks include:

01 - Morre o Burro Fica o Homem (Jorge Ben)
02 - O Circo Chegou (Jorge Ben)
03 - Paz e Arroz (Jorge Ben)
04 - Moça (Jorge Ben)
05 - Domingo 23 (Jorge Ben)
06 - Fio Maravilha (Jorge Ben)
07 - Quem Cochicha o Rabo Espicha (Jorge Ben)
08 - Caramba (Jorge Ben)
09 - Que Nega É Essa (Jorge Ben)
10 - As Rosas Eram Todas Amarelas (Jorge Ben)
11 - Taj Mahal (Jorge Ben)



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13 comments:

  1. AnonymousThursday, 24 January, 2008

    Many years ago I first read in a music magazine about Jorge Ben. Also some things about the story of the song "Taj Mahal". I also read about the friendship between Jorge Ben and the blues legend Taj Mahal. Being a fan of Mr. Taj Mahal and having almost everything he ever recorded,I found in his 1979 L.P "Taj Mahal and the international rhythm band-Live & Direct" the song "Jorge Ben" which is actually his tribute to his friend Jorge who wrote the song with Taj in his mind! Nice story between friends musicians! A part of the song was used for Rod's big hit,it's more than obvious! Does anybody know if Mr. Jorge Ben got any rights for that? Lefteris. Crete-Greece.

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  2. AnonymousFriday, 25 January, 2008

    yes, he did get rights for the song, after going to court. by the way, i highly recommend jorge ben's "a tábua de esmeralda", his masterpiece.

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  3. AnonymousSaturday, 26 January, 2008

    Got it, hear it, love it. MUST HAVE!

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  4. AnonymousSaturday, 26 January, 2008

    Estou vendo que desse baú ainda tem muita coisa a vir.

    []s

    Jamil

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  5. ihcoSunday, 27 January, 2008

    Does anyone know the truth behind the Rod Stewart settlement? I have read that it was
    1) settled out of court - no surprise here as there is clearly no case for the defence!
    2) a six figure sum
    3) paid to UNICEF

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  6. AnonymousSunday, 27 January, 2008

    Jorge sued Rod but did not make a dime from it. Rod's lawyer used an argument to turn the sin into a virtue by suggesting that the settlement would be donated to Unicef.

    See more in Portuguese on this article from 1999: http://veja.abril.com.br/140499/p_126.html

    Most recently Jorge went after Black Eyed Peas, for sampling some of his hits from the 70's without permission nor crediting him on the album.

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  7. AnonymousMonday, 28 January, 2008

    Hello from Hamburg. I enjoy your blog very much! If you listen to the US Soul Singer Bobby Womack "Put Something down on it", you will find the other half of rod stewarts hit.

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  8. lesWednesday, 30 January, 2008

    I'm going to check this album out.
    I have two Jorge Ben albums, Samba Nova and Benjor. How do these compare to this album and his masterpiece you recomended?

    Many thanks for sharing this.

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  9. lesThursday, 31 January, 2008

    I answered my own question when I heard the album last night. Less electronics, more acoustic. Very cool.

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  10. AnonymousSaturday, 02 February, 2008

    Thanks,

    Do you also have Lossless versions of 'Negro e Lindo' as well as 'Jorge Ben (1969)'?

    I bought these albums from musicstack.com but found out they were in fact MP3 rip to CDr and I would like to have real copies.

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  11. Fernando VelásquezSunday, 09 March, 2008

    i'm enjoying this album again. and more than ever, thanks!

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  12. ChipicuiThursday, 23 April, 2009

    I want to say a big THANKS! for this is a really treasured LP from when I was a boy... My copy is ruined and I was looking for it from a looong time!
    Keep up with the good work!!!!

    Cheers from Uruguay.

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  13. barefootbobTuesday, 22 September, 2009

    thanks much...i just found this LP in Vinyl Bin of local Goodwill Resale shop in US. this saves me from ripping...great site

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