By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Friday, October 26th both Jorge Ben Jor and Mano Brown, two of the biggest names in Brazilian music, are gracing the stage of the Fundição Progresso to perform a one-off concert, with Ben Jor set to play a show filled with hits from his extensive back catalogue and Brown out to promote his debut solo album, ‘Boogie Naipe.’
While this show seems like an incongruous pairing of Ben Jor’s smooth samba rock and Brown’s socially conscious, poetic hip-hop, it’s not the first time the two have collaborated. Brown provided guest vocals on a 2010 re-recording of ‘Umbabarauma,’ the first track from Ben Jor’s seminal 1976 album, ‘África Brasil.’
Ben Jor last played live in the Cidade Maravilhosa with two nights on the Circo Voador stage in June. And he brought out plenty of his most beloved hits, such as ‘Jorge da Capadócia,’ ‘A Banda do Zé Pretinho,’ ‘Gostosa,’ and his new single, ‘São Valentim.’ The 73 year old’s show went for more than twenty songs and showed why he’s still one of the coolest and best Brazilian musicians around. This Friday will hopefully prove no different.
Brown last graced the Fundição Progresso stage with fellow São Paulo rapper Criolo in June of this year. However, he has been in the political news much more recently for his controversial speech at a pre-election rally in Lapa for presidential candidate Fernando Haddad. Flanked by other musical personalities such as Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque, Brown broke file and gave a sober speech that called on PT (Workers’ Party) to reconnect with their voters.
“If you cannot speak the language of the people,” he said, “then you will lose.” And speaking of the upcoming election, he commented, “there’s a lot of people that need to be won over or we’re going over a cliff.”
For this concert, Brown is expected to rap some of the hits from his days as part of the famous Brazilian rap group ‘Racionais MC’s,’ while also presenting songs from his newer projects, including 2016’s ‘Boogie Naipe,’ which saw the rapper embark on a solo career that has broadened his musical palette to include influences of American soul and eighties funk.
What: Jorge Ben Jor and Mano Brown
When: Friday, October 26th, 9PM
Where: Fundição Progresso – Rua dos Arcos, 24 – Lapa – Rio de Janeiro
Entrance: Tickets from R$140; available here