In 1972, Brazilian composer and musician Arthur Verocai recorded an album that was met with indifference by critics and audiences alike – only to be hailed decades later as one of the greatest milestones in Brazilian popular music. »I could listen to the album every day for the rest of my life,« said legendary producer Madlib of Verocai’s barely 30-minute masterpiece, which fused jazz, bossa nova, and psychedelic folk into a new sound that was at once laid-back and exhilarating.
Arthur Verocai’s second career began in the 1990s, when US rappers such as MF DOOM and Ludacris sampled his lush orchestrations, and his 1972 album came to be regarded as one of the most valuable records of all time. Verocai went on to release further albums, arranged for bands such as BadBadNotGood, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Tyler, The Creator, and in 2024 sold out major concert halls including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and London’s Barbican.
The fact that his audiences are drawn heavily from the 20-to-30 age bracket speaks to Arthur Verocai’s cross-generational appeal. Now the musician, born in 1945, is coming to Europe to headline major festivals and to perform exclusively in Germany at the Elbphilharmonie – joined by singer Rogê, who most recently performed at the Überjazz Festival at Kampnagel, and the 20-piece Nu Civilisation Orchestra: one of three co-productions between Elbphilharmonie and International Summer Festival Kampnagel.
PERFORMERS
Nu Civilisation Orchestra jazz ensemble
Paula Santoro vocals
Roger José Cury vocals
Ricardo Verocai piano
Arthur Verocai conductor
