Ben Revisited

A Minha Menina / Que Maravilha / Zazueira - Jorge Ben - 1979

The Os Mutantes version of "A Minha Menina" was one of those songs I used to keep on continuous rotation. It's still one of my favorites, but for a while I put it into semi-retirement, as the excitement of those first listens had worn off... Then I heard Jorge Ben's version, a true discovery that's re-sparked my interest in Ben's work.

Ben composed "Minha Menina" for Os Mutantes in 1968 (and played guitar on the original song) but it wasn't until his 1979 medley album "Creole Girl" that he did his this pared-down acoustic take on it. I love his phrasing and the way he smooths out the melody. Great transitions into his other early classics, "Que Maravilha" and "Zazueira."

This was one of my first vinyl to mp3 conversions from last year. I'll try to start posting more of the stuff I've been digitizing lately.