Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

this album covers alot of material. If you have never heard this incredible artist, this is the perfect cd to get you into him. Benjor is on the same level as artists like caetano, chico buarque, gil. you will enjoy this.

Until a better compilation comes out - and let's hope there will be more - this is the place to start to explore Jorge Ben Jor's music. I have been totally addicted to this great collection since I first bought it, listening to it, humming it to myself, playing it for friends. Benjor packs more fun and ideas into a 3 minute song than most pop musicians put into an entire album. If you like samba, or bossa nova, or world music, or light jazz, or soul, or just great pop music, you should give this a few listens. He is one of the all-time greats in Brasil, and I hope that someday he can be appreciated in America too.

This is a very good greatest hits collection for songs Jorge Ben has created while he was recording for Philips/Mercury from 1963-1976. Even though there's a lot of great songs missing, this is a good collection to have for those who are new to Jorge Ben's music and/or unfamiliar with his work. Most of his albums are out of print and have been for years. Some of his other albums have never made it to CD or MP3 format.

Unfortunately, none of these songs come from albums like "Silencio no Brooklin", "Sacudin Ben Samba" or "Salto o Povao". Yet, this is the only way a certain number of people will ever hear some of his work, due to the fact that most of his albums are long lost and hard to find. Most of the songs on this collection come from Jorge Ben's self-titled 1969 album (my favorite Jorge Ben album), "A Tabua da Esmeralda", "Africa Brasil" and his debut album "Samba Esquema Novo". My only gripe is the fact that there are only 19 songs in this collection, ranging at 63 minutes worth of music. I felt as if there should have been much more put into this collection, like Wrasse's "Definitive Collection" for Gilberto Gil.

While this collection doesn't do the best justice at including more of Jorge Ben's works for those who are unfamiliar with him, this is the best available collection for him at this moment that's good for starters, considering the fact that we have yet to see reissues for his entire back catalogue.

ESSENTIAL TRACKS: "Que Pena", "Xica da Silva", "Bebete Vaobora", "Charles, Anjo 45", "Cade Tereza" & "Pais Tropical"

This is the first U.S. album released by Jorge Ben, who only changed his last name to Benjor because his and George Benson's royalties were getting mixed up. I have had this album for years and it is most certainly an evergreen in the bossa pantheon. But, as the review title suggests, lest we forget...the musical are arrangements by JT Meirelles, whose group Copa 5 has a grand collection of very tasty discs. Please explore them.

1 Que Pena (Ela Ja Nao Gosta Mais De Mim)
2 Mas, Que Nada
3 Xica Da Silva
4 Bebete Vaobora
5 Chove Chuva
6 Taj Mahal
7 O Telefone Tocou Novamente
8 Os Alquistas Estao Chegando Os Alquimistas
9 Ponta De Lanca Africano
10 Por Causa De Voce, Menina
11 Caramba!...Galileu Da Galileia
12 Charles, Anjo
13 Minha Teimosia Uma Arma Pra Te Conquistar
14 Cade Tereza
15 Zumbi
16 O Filosofo
17 Pais Tropical
18 Oba, La Vem Ela
19 Que Maravilha