Last September, Seu Jorge sold out the Logan Square Auditorium turning in a spectacular show as part of the World Music Festival. The crowd was largely populated by hipsters who had obviously caught his performances in “Life Aquatic” but his recent Metro performance was populated by the true believers.
Jorge hit the stage casually sipping a bottle of beer and opened the evening with “Mania de Peitao”, an ode to a beautiful woman marred by silicone implants, but in the hands of Jorge’s soulful baritone, the song also becomes a rich metaphor for superficial relationships. In “Tive Razao”, also from last years album Cru, the tune underlines the theme of abandonment in a plaintive song of unrequited love. As the band brings the rhythmic force of samba and at times even hip hop, Jorge’s vocals provide emotional intensity reminiscent of the Brazilian Bossa Nova era, while possessing an earthier quality.
The eclectic audience at the Metro, which contained many Chicagoans from Brazil, definitely added flare to the show. The older tunes “O Samba Tai” and “Tu Queria” from Jorge’s first album Carolina sounded particularly distinctive as the Brazilian in the crowd passionately sang and danced along to the samba sounds. Half way through the concert Jorge left the stage and handed over the spotlight to his three band members who displayed their virtuosity and were allowed their moment to shine.
Returning to the stage, Jorge introduced the Bowie covers and entertained the crowd with an anecdote about first receiving the call from Wes Anderson. A roar of laughter could be heard as Jorge pantomimed his wife’s confused reaction to Anderson’s request that Jorge cover Bowie songs in a movie. Anderson’s simple cinematic send up: Jorge sitting on a boat singing Bowie tunes in a Bossa Nova style was supposed to have been merely funny but Jorge’s genius gave unimagined life to this conceit and created Bowie covers of exceptional beauty. Onstage at Metro, Jorge transformed the overblown emotionalism of David Bowie’s “Life On Mars”, with its scenes of unhappy domesticity and escapism, into an intimate Portuguese version that equates the possibility of romance with the prospect of life on Mars.
The concert ended with “Chatterton” followed by “Carolina,” Jorge’s most famous love song. Before Jorge’s last song, he spoke to the audience passionately, asking them to raise their awareness and involvement in the lives of those who must live in Brazil’s poorest neighborhoods, the slums, or favelas. Jorge is an amazingly charismatic and talented performer whose social responsiveness informs his musical aesthetic. Whether you are fluent in Portuguese or not, both his recordings and live shows are highly recommended.
|
Written by Guest on 2007-11-15 01:51:00
heartbreaking |
Powered by AkoComment 2.0!
Entertainment
