Jorge Ben Jor

One of the most important Brazilian composers and performers to appear in the 1960s, singer and songwriter Jorge Ben proved successful at infusing samba with soul music. He is the author of two of the most legendary samba songs: "Mas Que Nada" and "País Tropical." His originality and open-mindedness led him to his participation in the Jovem Guarda, bossa nova, and Tropicália movements (see Jorge Ben, 1969, and Força Bruta, 1970), which put him in the unrivaled historic position of having been a member of most of the important movements of 20th Brazilian popular music. His songs have been recorded by acts such as Sergio Mendes, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, José Feliciano, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Júlio Iglesias, and Al Jarreau. His mid-'70s recordings, including A Tábua de Esmeralda from 1974 and África Brasil in 1976, showcased his deep samba melded with soul and funk. The diversity in his approach, whether with light and airy bossa, fleet samba, or celebratory dance music, bears the trademark of his signature phrasing as a singer and his ability to seemingly stretch time as a composer.