a vida aquatica com estevie zissou

Seu Jorge, Carolina: Em Nagoya Ey Vi Eriko and Mangueira

It's hard to talk about your artistic tastes (some would say impossible) without divulging information about your personality... That being said, I love Wes Anderson films. Rushmore remains at the top of my favorites, while The Royal Tenenbaums holds a special place in my heart because it's the only movie in recent memory with a lead character named Ari. Bottle Rocket... well, there's always the other two.

I've been following the developments of the newest Wes Anderson Joint for the last two years or so, eagerly anticipating its finishing and release... What I didn't count on was one of my favorite Brazilian musicians doing most of Ziggy Stardust as the soundtrack for the film.

The many hats of Seu Jorge: musician, actor, civil rights activist. Seu Jorge's film debut (as we know it) came in 2002's City of God, the stellar look at the lighter and darker sides of Rio's favelas. He played Knockout Ned, the unassailably cool busdriver who Rocket can't bear to rob one night. Little did we know at the time that City of God would propel him into an American acting career, as Pele in the Life Aquatic.

I spent months trying to track down Seu Jorge's latest disc in Brazil, Carolina, and it was until my last couple of weeks, while in Rio (at Modern Sound, the most ridiculous music store in the country) that I finally found it. Of course, with the popularity of this movie, I imagine his CD will be all over the place in the States, so pick up a copy.

Seu Jorge's musical background mainly consists of a long stint as the lead singer and songwriter of the band Farofa Carioca, a funk band from Rio whose live shows are a thing to behold. I saw them accidentally one night in Rio, back in July, and the show was incredible. My friend invited me to go to a nightclub, and not realizing that there would be live music, I decided to tag along anyway. Little did I know that I would see some of the funkiest sh*t ever... Finding their cd, Moro no Brasil, was no easy task either.

Jorge breaks out on his solo debut, with a funk epic of Brazilian proportions. Covering Jorge Ben Jor (I finally got the story behind the move from Jorge Ben->Jorge Ben Jor... coming soon) while adding most of his own flavor, this album is a solid dance disc all the way through. So in honor of everyone over at Team Zissour, I give you... Seu Jorge.

UPDATE: Poll is up! Vote for your favorite trax thus far...