Say Uncle

Was honored recently to interview Brazilian great Seu Jorge. In between Brazil world cup matches and travel connections, you can check the article here and in full below. If you’re unfamiliar, start by picking out the new Seu Jorge & Almaz album…

Brazilian musician/ actor Seu Jorge has often taken the road less traveled. Similar to his character “Knockout Ned” in the cult-classic film City of God, Mr. Jorge also had a brother murdered as the result of street violence. But, instead of turning to revenge as in the fictional documentary, once in the streets he learned to play guitar and harness his vocal chops, in turn becoming one of the most revered Brazilian artists of the last decade.

Born Jorge Mário da Silva in the favela Belford Roxo of Rio de Janiero, the 40-year old singer has released four solo albums to date, ranging from the soulful samba of his first LP, Samba Esporte Fino to the acoustic rock of Cru and his critically acclaimed Portugese David Bowie-covers on the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, where he also portrayed the guitar playing deckhand, Pele dos Santos.

However, it’s his latest record, Seu Jorge & Almaz, that he premiers this Friday at The Fillmore, (the first stop on his summer North American tour), in which he takes a different left turn. Featuring twelve tracks of covers of Brazilian mainstays like Jorge Ben & Noriel Vilela, alongside artists like Michael Jackson, Kraftwerk & Roy Ayers, Jorge adds his unique gravelly voice to the psychedelic stylings of “Almaz”, a loosely formed group made up of drummer Pupillo & guitarist Lucio Maia of the band Nação Zumbi, and bassist/ composer Antonio Pinto. “This is the music we love, the music we grew up on,” explains Jorge. “We didn’t worry about the lyrics, we just made the music having fun.” Produced by Beastie Boys engineer and longtime friend Mario C. (Mario Caldato, Jr.), and being released on Stones Throw Records subsidiary Now-Again, Seu Jorge & Almaz is almost a new introduction to music lovers worldwide, even if not intentional. “We all had come together to record a song for Walter Salles film Linha de Passé and had such a good time so we recorded more music. Maybe 16 or 17 songs right after which became the album. We want to show that Brazilian music is more open, not just drums and bass.”

On their first single, a take on the Roy Ayers classic “Everybody Loves the Sunshine”, the group hits a home run with Jorge’s dark, laidback English-accented vocals riding spacey synths and electric strings envisioning a hazy late summer Rio afternoon. The B-side, covering Martinho da Vila and João de Aquino’s “Cirandar” is a more stripped down samba groove met with well-placed psychedelic effects and cuica sounds.

Each track on the album seems to represent a different influence of the group, the result a fresh Brasilian-rooted interpretation. “Growing up with music in Brazil (especially black people), everybody grew up with American music; Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Chic. Most of the people, especially the poor people, don’t get an opportunity to read a book and the music replaces this. Music is very important in Brazil, samba, it’s like a food for us,” says Jorge. He is quick to reference Brazilian artists including Caetano Veloso, Jao Gilberto, Jorge Ben & Gilberto Gil as influences, but none more than the king of pop. “To be honest my big, big idol is Michael Jackson because he’s done so many things; singing, acting, dancing. He’s a great inspiration. I never imagined I could make music and act at the same time, but now I have the opportunity and I would like to thank Michael and other American artists like Gene Kelly for the inspiration.”

Brazilian music is unique as the culture itself, a melting pot of European, African & South American roots represented by samba, bossa nova, maracatu, vibrant landscapes & varying accents. Jorge first picked up the guitar at the age of 20, living on the street after his brother was killed and his mother had to sell their home to raise money to survive. Playing anywhere sometimes for free, he developed a love for music which has not left him to this day. “Music was fun. Emotions. Talking about the city, the people. It was never about the money. I still have the same feelings now.” With his first band, Fariofa Carioca, Jorge wrote most of the music for their debut album 1998’s Moro No Brasil (I Live in Brazil), and subsequently appeared in a documentary on Brazilian music by the same name. This led to his introduction into the film industry after a few years in musical theatre, and his breakout role as the cool bus driver turned avenging brother, Mane Galinha or Knockout Ned in City of God. Since, Jorge has gone on to play roles in a handful of movies including the British prison break feature The Escapist, and Casa de Areia, a film about white Portugese settlers who try to move in on a “quilombo”- a runaway slave community in which Jorge plays the quilombo’s leader.

As the conversation switches back to Brazil, Jorge’s tone heightens, speaking about the upcoming presidential election, Summer Olympics in Rio in 2016, and his country hosting the World Cup in 2014. “Brazil is one of the best countries in the world. The food, the people, the samba. If they don’t know, the rest of the world needs to see.” A big futbol fan, Jorge was stuck to the television during the recent world cup and cites Ronaldinho Gaúcho as his favorite player.

Similar to Ronaldinho’s skills on the pitch, Jorge excels in more than one area of his art form. When asked what he prefers, acting or making music, Mr. Jorge answers honestly. “With music, I control everything. The band, lyrics, the sound. In the movies, I listen to the director and do what they say so it is less free. But all together is the best.”