Timeless: The Composer/Arranger Series (Arthur Verocai)

Arthur Verocai, a folk-jazz composer and arranger, was born in Rio de Janeiro. He has created challenging arrangements and compositions for Brazilian artists including Jorge Ben, Ivan Lins, Leny Andrade, and Gal Costa. In 1972, Verocai recorded a self-titled solo LP, an innovative effort that places him in a unique category alongside the string-oriented music of Charles Stepney, David Axelrod, and Frank Zappa. Released during the period of the Brazilian military government, the album did not achieve commercial success at the time. Its reissue in 2003, however, led to its recognition as a highly influential and frequently sampled classic, referenced by artists such as Ludacris, MF Doom, and Little Brother. A performance of the full 1972 record at Luckmann drew a capacity crowd. Verocai noted that "he had never played the record, alive or dead!" His enthusiasm was captured on a DVD. The music was mixed by Verocai himself in Rio.