Seu Jorge – The Other Side

You definitely know the name from either his work on the City of God soundtrack or his absolutely wonderful bossa nova and Brazilian take on David Bowie for Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and if you don’t, look up either of those works right now. Jorge is a master bossa nova guitar player, with a penchant for catchy and dancified riffs, but I’ll admit that I never really dug into his solo work. After listening to his latest album, The Other Side, I’ll have to remedy that.

This album is also quite cinematic, combining Brazilian jazz, bossa nova, and orchestral flourishes with some features from singer Maria Rita, Marisa Monte, Zap Mama, and none other than Beck. Jorge’s deep voice leads many of the songs in Portuguese or English, a soothing tone that lulls you into a sense of freedom.

“Girl You Move Me,” has a very James Bond-esque vibe to it, especially the strings, which feel like they were composed by John Barry himself. This is actually a cover of the funk French group, Cane And Able, but Jorge makes it his own, much like he did with Bowie. We also have one of my favourite covers of Nick Drake’s “River Man,” which Beck sometimes leads alongside Seu Jorge. “Cabocolo” also has a space rock vibe, centred by electric guitar, a bunch of snare and hi-hat magic, and again, Jorge’s raspy baritone. “Folia Do Amor,” is a classic Brazilian bossa nova number that you can’t help but dance to. There’s a lot ot love during The Other Side, as the master is at work.