África Brasil

''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. Musically, ''África Brasil'' represented a shift in his artistry, as he replaced his acoustic guitar in favor of the electric guitar. Although released under military dictatorship in Brazil, the album avoided censorship, favoring a celebratory and historical tribute to Afro-Brazilian heritage over direct political commentary.

The album blends MPB, samba-funk, samba-rock and soul with Afro-Brazilian percussion, featuring reworked versions of earlier compositions like "Zumbi" alongside new material. Its lyrics address themes such as football, love, medievalism, ''négritude'' and childhood. Upon release, ''África Brasil'' received critical acclaim, with praise for 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 musical career with Philips Records in 1963, when the label released his debut album ''Samba Esquema Novo'', which drew notice from listeners and built a career around blending Afro-Brazilian heritage with global African-American music. Following its success, Philips encouraged Ben to quickly produce additional albums with a similar musical approach. Since the beginning of Ben's musical career, he was associated with the bossa nova genre, drawing influence João Gilberto. This led to the release of three albums within 18 months. After completing the final album in this series, ''Big Ben'', he was established as a "singer-guitarist-songwriter", though Ben and the label parted ways. 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".

In the years that followed, Ben performed as an independent artist. His only album during this period, '' O Bidú: Silêncio no Brooklin'', was released in 1967 by the independent label Artistas Unidos from São Paulo and had limited commercial impact. During this time, These activities drew the attention of Philips, which was then led by former Odeon Records executive André Midani. In 1969, Jorge Ben re-signed to Philips Records after a four-year leave from the label due to creative differences and recorded his self-titled sixth album. From 1969, Ben would inaugurate a sequence of Philips launches that would extend until 1976.

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 decided to heavily syncopate elements of Afro-Brazilian popular music into his music, which he integrated with influences of American funk and R&B. 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. Alongside the strong influence of African-American music on his early albums, his work began to gain more visibility and laid the stylistic foundations for what critics would come to call samba rock—a subgenre defined by the fusion of Black popular music from Brazil and the United States, with Ben as its central figure. 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, marking a shift in his musical direction.

Recording and production

''África Brasil'' was recorded at Phonogram Studios in Rio de Janeiro over the course of ten days. According to Greg Caz, the album "didn't come out of a vacuum" but was "something Jorge had been building toward for some time, a record he was bound to make sooner or later". Ben had gathered a strong lineup of musicians at Philips' new 16-track studios in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. Some include their band Admiral Jorge V, which had about fifteen support musicians and seven vocalists. During the recording sessions, 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.

Carvalho stated that Ben was the true conductor behind the entire album, with José Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth arranging the orchestral parts and Mazzola contributing backing vocals. Paulinho Tapajós, who was working as a producer of Ben's last albums, was replaced by Mazzola, who was also responsible for the mixing. However, during the recording sessions, Philips withdrew producer Marco Mazzola, which outraged Ben. 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. 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, asking Ben to wait for his return to Brazil and the arrival of a 16-track mixing console. He ultimately also served as the audio engineer, since the professional originally assigned to the task was unable to handle the new equipment. The album's cover depicts Ben mid-performance, which was designed by Aldo Luiz, and Jorge Vianna finalized the album's art with photography by Orlando Abrunhosa.

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. Regardless, ''África Brasil'' was released in 1976 by Philips Records. Though released under the military dictatorship in Brazil, ''África Brasil'' avoided censorship, in part due to its emphasis on cultural celebration rather than overt political critique. The title subtly references historical ties, framing Africa and Brazil as interconnected through shared cultural memory. Jorge Ben's indignation in relation to Mazzola's forced withdrawal led him to leave Philips after release and signed a contract with Som Livre, where he continued to enjoy commercial success while adopting a more pop-oriented direction. ''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).

Music

''África Brasil'' consists of eleven tracks that music critics have described the album as an MPB, samba-funk, samba-rock and soul 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. Several tracks on the album are re-recorded versions of Ben's earlier compositions, such as "Zumbi" and "O Plebeu", reimagined with a funk-inflected aesthetic.

In the album, Ben connected his electric guitar and, as Greg Caz wrote, "unleashed a hurricane of samba-tinged funk", while featuring a mixture of multiple Brazilian percussion instruments such as atabaques, cuícas, pandeiros and surdos. 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.

The album's fusion of samba with the influences of soul and funk music reached its full expression on ''África Brasil'', which reflected the more pop-oriented and danceable direction that the Brazilian music market would take in the transition from the 1970s to the 1980s. The album marked a pivotal shift in Ben's career, as he moved away from the songwriting style traditionally associated with MPB and fully embraced a more pop-driven sound, which brought him broader commercial success, a wider audience, and a solid place within the mainstream of Afro-Brazilian music.

Lyrics

Thematically, the album address themes such as football, love, medievalism, ''négritude'' and childhood. 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. Its lyrics evoke a sense of historical continuity and solidarity between Africa and Brazil, reflecting an increased emphasis on Afro-Brazilian identity. ''África Brasil'' is considered the last album of the so-called "mystical trilogy" that forms with ''Tábua de Esmeralda'' (1974) and '' Solta o Pavão'' (1975), and the three albums have elements of alchemy. The album also reflects Ben's characteristic role as a keen observer in his lyrics, portraying reality and personal experiences, while his music shows the influence of Afro-Brazilian culture.

The album's opening track " Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)" is a salute to an African football player. According to the artist, the inspiration came from a match he watched in France. At the same time, the track carries a strong African influence, with phrases repeated in a ritualistic, mantra-like manner, and onomatopoeias that resemble Yoruba language phonemes. 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. 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". The text suggests that 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.

"Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro" expresses affection for children and support for their aspirations. It opens with a solo guitar and Jorge Ben's signature phrase "'" (). 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". "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. The track presents a light chorus between Ben, its vocals and a bright synthesizer that complements the most physical manifestation of funk in music. "Taj Mahal", which had already appeared on the 1972 album ''Ben'', was included on ''África Brasil'' in a faster and more "punchier" version, with additional lyrics. "Taj Mahal" is a clear 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, Aryumand Banu Begam.

"Xica da Silva" is described by Robert Leaver as a "samba-funk hybrid". Resembling 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. The instrumentation, particularly the atabaques, evokes a sound associated with Brazil's colonial past. "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. 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.

The track "Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado" offers a reinterpretation of the figure of Saint George from a perspective connected to Black identity, highlighting elements of African origin beyond the traditional association with the Ogum from Candomblé. 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". "África Brasil (Zumbi)" is a new version of the song originally released as "Zumbi" on ''A Tábua de Esmeralda''. His 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. 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.

Reception and legacy

Many critics evaluated ''África Brasil'' positively and have considered it one of the best albums by Ben. 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". 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. Tom Hull wrote that the album has a "dense rhythm, much going on, but flows easily enough, some kind of masterpiece".

Music critic Rodney Taylor described ''África Brasil'' as a radical reinvention of Ben's sound, comparing its impact to " Dylan going electric" and noting that it laid the sonic foundation for the rest of Ben's career. He emphasized the album's deepened funk influence, stating that Ben explores "how far ecan take his samba-rock-funk synthesis", with the answer being "far indeed". Greg Caz said that the album turned out to be "a universally-revered heavyweight funk masterpiece". According to music writer Robert Leaver, ''África Brasil'' is "one of the most compelling recordings to burst forth from the Americas", notable for both its influence and "timeless brilliance". 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".

Commercially, in the months leading up to the album's release, the album sold approximately 60,000 copies in Brazil, a "good number" for a Brazilian album at the time. Imported copies of ''África Brasil'' were readily available in well-stocked record stores in the United States, and Ben's influence had grown considerably. 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'', prompting rotation of a video for the track on VH-1. In 1991, Ambitious Lovers released a cover song on 12-inch single that became a dance hit. "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. ''África Brasil'' was included in the reference book ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'', published in 2005. ''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. 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. In May 2022, the album was voted the 42nd greatest Brazilian album by the podcast.

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.Stewart, Rod. ''Rod: The Autobiography'' (2012): 225–226 The case was "settled amicably" according to Ben, in Ben's favor. 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.(AP
"Frost Sets UNICEF Show"
''The Robesonian'' 30 November 1978: 1 The thematic overview from the album, covering racial topics positively had influenced artists like Mano Brown.

Track listing

All songs were written by Jorge Ben.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.
;Musicians
* Jorge Ben – vocals, guitar
* João Roberto Vandaluz – piano
* Dadi Carvalho – bass guitar
* Gustavo Schroeter – drum kit
* Joãozinho Pereira – percussion
* Pedrinho das Neves – drums, timbales
* Wilson das Neves – drums, timbales
* José Roberto Bertrami – keyboards
* Luna – bass drum
* Neném – cuíca
* Djalma Corrêa – percussion
* Hermes – percussion
* Ariovaldo – percussion
* Oberdan Magalhães – percussion
* Márcio Montarroyos – percussion
;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

* Samba funk
* Culture of Brazil

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben albums
1976 albums
Funk albums by Brazilian artists