Brazilian samba musician Rogê already conquered Rio de Janeiro. He is right here to offer the U.S. a style of Brazil along with his album Curyman.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Possibly it is the nice and cozy climate. Possibly it is the world-famous seashores with mountains on the horizon in each cities. Properly, regardless of the purpose, musician Roge says nothing makes him really feel extra like a local son of Rio de Janeiro than working in Los Angeles.

ROGE: Sure, it is somewhat cliche, however after we have been out from Brazil, we will look to our tradition with – in a giant image, you realize? I feel I am really feel extra Brazilian right here.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “GRITO DO NATUREZA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

SHAPIRO: He moved to LA just a few years in the past after releasing eight albums in Brazil. And whereas he was recording in LA with some hip-hop artists, the person who was born Roger Jose Cury discovered a brand new id.

ROGE: And the fellows requested my identify. What’s your identify? My identify is Roger. And the fellows – what’s your final identify? My final identify is Cury. The man stated, oh, Cury man.

SHAPIRO: “Curyman” turned the title of Roge’s new album, his first produced and recorded within the U.S. It is Brazilian samba influenced by American funk. He labored carefully with producer Tommy Brenneck, who’s collaborated with Beyonce, Girl Gaga, Amy Winehouse and extra.

ROGE: Tommy carry all of the angle, all of the imaginative and prescient for the music, and that is what I am at all times searching for. I am only a man to like music and simply love my tradition, Brazilian tradition. And I actually wish to combine it with that tradition right here.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “PRA VIDA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

SHAPIRO: I did lookup the English translation of those lyrics, and the primary tune, “Pra Vida,” has a lyric that interprets to, it would not matter if a door is closed, there’s at all times an opened window.

ROGE: Yeah.

SHAPIRO: And I questioned if that describes your expertise going from making music in Brazil to the USA.

ROGE: Yeah. My brother, after I arrived right here, was very robust. That tune discuss – we now have to at all times go ahead as a result of we now have to consider within the life – you realize? – as a result of I used to be dwelling that have right here after I arrived right here. I did not don’t have anything.

SHAPIRO: So why did you do it?

ROGE: I do it as a result of in Brazil we now have a giant disaster over there – financial disaster, political disaster, social disaster, safety disaster. All the things was unhealthy after the Olympic video games. And I used to come back right here to LA to file. And I go searching, say, oh, LA is the one place on this planet that I can change with Rio as a result of LA has every thing, you realize? It has an opportunity to develop my profession. So I assumed to myself, whoa, that is going to be a giant problem, however possibly that is the – it’s a must to hear your voice inside. All people has the voice inside.

SHAPIRO: Yeah.

ROGE: I’ve the tune for that on this album too – “Existe Uma Voz.”

SHAPIRO: “Existe Uma Voz” – I used to be simply going to ask about that tune.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EXISTE UMA VOZ”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

SHAPIRO: Yeah. Inform us about this.

ROGE: All people has a voice inside. It’s a must to hear this voice. , in case you are quiet and safety (ph), you – all people – you will have an opportunity to grasp what the nice course to go as a result of at all times life’s testing you.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EXISTE UMA VOZ”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

SHAPIRO: To take a step again from the dialog about your life and your transfer and speak somewhat bit extra concerning the music, I used to be curious concerning the distinction between samba and samba-funk. Are you able to discuss what is occurring rhythmically when you find yourself doing a conventional samba and while you’re doing samba-funk?

ROGE: Yeah. This can be a good instance, you realize, as a result of after I make this tune, I feel the fellows play funk, like funk – like James Brown funk, you realize?

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “GET UP OFFA THAT THING”)

JAMES BROWN: Ow.

ROGE: We use the 16 – (imitating maracas).

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “GET UP OFFA THAT THING”)

BROWN: Say it now. (Whistling). Yeah. I am again.

ROGE: You’ve this one in samba too – (imitating maracas).

SHAPIRO: Yeah.

ROGE: (Imitating maracas) – we now have this. We now have – while you use the 16, it is the identical while you do samba.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RETUMBAR DO MEU TAMBOR”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

It is (inaudible) – (vocalizing).

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RETUMBAR DO MEU TAMBOR”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

The opposite one is “Eu Gosta Dela.”

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EU GOSTA DELA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

SHAPIRO: So inform us what we’re listening to on this one.

ROGE: That is – it is extra the – have samba and have funky, too, as a result of it is – the samba is (vocalizing). It is half samba.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EU GOSTA DELA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

However the guitar is usually performed double. We combine it with the double time and half time. It is a type of combine, too, with Brazilian – very Brazilian and, I feel, sounds common.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EU GOSTA DELA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

SHAPIRO: Folks will clearly hearken to this album in several contexts, however I perceive that the context of your stay performances may be very particular. Are you able to paint an image for us of – when you find yourself in a room doing a present, what’s occurring?

ROGE: For me is sort of a non secular factor – the stage, you realize, the room and – as a result of you will have the vitality with the folks with you. For me, the group makes the present.

SHAPIRO: You describe making music as a non secular expertise, and there are a pair songs on this album that speak explicitly about spirituality. Are you able to inform us about certainly one of them?

ROGE: Sure, I can inform about “Yemanja.”

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “YEMANJA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

Yemanja is a god of creation. Yemanja is a god of the ocean. So in Brazil, we now have a faith we name Candomble. It is a phenomenal ritual. And we now have a – like a (talking Portuguese) has like a way…

SHAPIRO: Yeah.

ROGE: …For each energy of the character.

SHAPIRO: Do you’re feeling such as you’re channeling this vitality while you carry out these songs, or are you singing about another person’s traditions?

ROGE: No, no, I actually really feel that. I actually really feel simply – for me, I am at all times – attempt to open for that vitality. So these energies shield me and information me, you realize? And I has – I’ve a number of respect for that as a result of that’s make me robust. I by no means alone – by no means.

SHAPIRO: That is Roge, spelled R-O-G-E. His new album is “Curyman.” Thanks a lot.

ROGE: Thanks a lot, Ari, for house, to your consideration, you realize, thanks a lot.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MISTERIO DA RACA”)

ROGE: (Singing in Portuguese).

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