Episode 151: Jorge Ben Summer Tribute

Today’s episode will be a continuation of one of the oldest traditions here at Tropicology, a summer tribute to one of my top favorite artists of all time, a performer whose music is perfect for laid back good times in the summer season. I’m talking about Jorge Ben of Brazil, a singer/songwriter who I sometimes refer to as the Brazilian gateway drug; for me, first hearing a Jorge Ben greatest hits album was one of those moments in my music collecting career when I realized that there was a huge beautiful body of music out there that I had so far completely failed to tap into. I immediately had to possess as many Jorge Ben records as I could find, but it also made me hungry to explore music by other Brazilian artists. It is fair to say that Jorge Ben was the beginning of my Brazilian music addiction. Today’s episode is a sampling of great hits from Jorge Ben’s greatest years, spanning from 1963 to the early 80s, along with just a few covers of Jorge Ben compositions that play well alongside his own performances.