Arthur Verocai in Hamburg

About the artist

Arthur Verocai is the architect of a musical bridge that connects the Tropicália of the 1960s with the gritty Brazilian funk of the following decade. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1945, he spent his early years arranging for Brazilian greats like Jorge Ben, Gal Costa, and Elis Regina — before recording his self-titled debut album in 1972, which has since become one of South America’s great musical masterpieces. The album blends Brazilian pop with soul and jazz, lifted by soaring string orchestra and a cinematic glow — experimental and holistic at the same time, eclectic but never chaotic. Ignored upon its release, it was rediscovered by a whole generation of hip-hop producers and crate diggers in the 2000s — sampled by the likes of MF DOOM and Ludacris, and cited as an inspiration by bands like BadBadNotGood and Hiatus Kaiyote. Today, over 80 years old, Verocai is more relevant than ever. Seeing him live is to experience something rare: music from another era, played with a warmth and precision that hasn't aged a day.