Including unreleased track from original sessions Carolina Carol Bela
Seu Jorge, the internationally successful Brazilian singer and actor, needs no introduction. In 2024, his second solo album, CRU, will celebrate its 20th anniversary. This album, which has become a "classic," established him as the new "King" of Brazilian music. Released shortly after the cult Brazilian film "City of God," in which he played the role of bus driver "Mané Galinha," CRU was immediately hailed by the international press and acclaimed by audiences the world over.
The fruit of a meeting between Seu Jorge and French producer Jérôme Pigeon (Favela Chic), this album was imagined at one of the legendary Parisian parties of the time. At the heart of this creative and festive exaltation, Seu Jorge met Matthieu Chedid, who was to take part in the recording of the album (Tive Razão). He invited Seu Jorge to support him at Bercy; they met again on stage at the Encantado festival, and Seu Jorge in turn invited Matthieu to perform an unforgettable concert on Ipanema beach in Rio, in front of several million spectators.
Legend has it that it was after hearing "Don't," the Elvis Presley cover featured on CRU, that Wes Anderson offered Seu Jorge a role in his film "Life Aquatic" alongside Bill Murray, William Defoe, Cate Blanchett, and Anjelica Houston, in which he performs several David Bowie songs in Portuguese. The English pop icon paid tribute to Seu Jorge's versions of his songs, saying that he had elevated them to a "new level of beauty."
Since CRU, Seu Jorge has enjoyed a string of international and Brazilian tours, successful albums (all produced by Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys), and prestigious featuring appearances (U2, Coldplay, Chico Buarque, etc.). He has established himself as a worthy successor to Jorge Ben and Caetano Veloso, not only in the hearts of Brazilians but on all five continents.
In addition to his immense artistic qualities, Seu Jorge, once a kid from Rio's favelas ("Eu Sou Favela"), is also a man committed to the black cause, in particular through his involvement in the struggle against racism and xenophobia in a country where disguised slavery has unfortunately not yet disappeared.
We can't mention CRU without mentioning Pretinho da Serrinha, the marvelous musician featured on every song on the album, whose talent is now being snapped up by all the Brazilian stars. Not to mention the extraordinary cover art by Vik Muniz, a world-famous visual artist who was also at the start of his career at the time, and Renaud Letang (Feist, Manu Chao, Alain Souchon, Chilly Gonzales), whose exceptionally fine mixing helped turn this timeless album into a refined showcase which, 20 years later, has lost none of its splendor. Let's salute CRU's resurrection in physical form on its anniversary thanks to "Diggers Factory" and "Babelville Prod.", an album made up of equal parts surprising covers (Gainsbourg, Elvis Presley, Bezerra Da Silva) and original compositions by Seu Jorge and young Brazilian songwriters of the time.
Seu Jorge, de son vrai nom Jorge Mário da Silva, est un musicien, chanteur, et acteur brésilien qui s'est imposé comme une figure emblématique de la musique populaire brésilienne. Né en 1970 à Belford Roxo, une banlieue pauvre de Rio de Janeiro, il a commencé sa carrière en tant qu'artiste autodidacte, se faisant remarquer pour son talent unique à mêler la samba traditionnelle avec des influences modernes. Il est également connu pour ses reprises acoustiques des chansons de David Bowie, particulièrement dans le film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou de Wes Anderson, ce qui lui a valu une reconnaissance internationale. Artiste polyvalent, Seu Jorge est une voix puissante de la scène musicale brésilienne contemporaine et un acteur respecté.
Seu Jorge, born Jorge Mário da Silva, is a Brazilian musician, singer, and actor who has become an iconic figure in Brazilian popular music. Born in 1970 in Belford Roxo, a poor suburb of Rio de Janeiro, he started his career as a self-taught artist, gaining recognition for his unique ability to blend traditional samba with modern influences. He is also known for his acoustic covers of David Bowie’s songs, particularly featured in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which earned him international acclaim. A versatile artist, Seu Jorge is both a powerful voice in contemporary Brazilian music and a respected actor.