Jorge Ben

One of Brazil's best-loved artists, Jorge Ben began performing as a teenager in the mid-1950s, his breakthrough coming in 1963 with the explosive debut LP, Samba Esquema Novo. Follow-up set Sacudin Ben Samba is a samba-jazz hybrid that did its best to emulate the success of Esquema Novo, with distinctive elements such as the trumpet that graces "Capoeira" and the choral backing of "Carnaval Triste"; as with his greatest works, the lyrics are full of humor and unusual references, deciphering the riddles part of the fun. A solid album that sounds better through repeated spins, it captures Ben at his youthful best.