Jorge Ben

"Amor de Carnaval" is in many ways a typical album for Jorge Ben in the ‘60s, full of sweet, sincere, and mainly upbeat songs, with the music mixing samba with elements of bossa nova, swing, pop, and soul. It was recorded while Jorge Ben was living in Brooklin, a neighborhood of São Paulo, with Erasmo Carlos. The album marks a change from Ben’s previous recording because of the constant presence of the electric guitar and its closeness to the sound of “Jovem Guarda”. Caetano Veloso, always among the more vocal Jorge Ben supporters, counts this album among his favorite albums, and the track “Se Manda” in particular, is cited by Veloso as providing the initial impetus for the musical aspect of the “Tropicália” movement. Compared to many other works by Ben, the string and horn sections are used very sparsely. The tone of the album is set right from the start with the catchy opening track “Amor de Carnaval,” one of the best songs Ben has ever written. “Frases,” with its soft groove and neat lyrics, and “Toda Colorida” are two other highlights on this highly enjoyable album.