By: David Schultz

Relatively unknown outside of his native Brazil, American audiences are likely more familiar with singer Seu Jorge from his acting endeavors. Making his film debut in Fernando Meirelles' Oscar-nominated City of God portraying reluctant gangster Knockout Ned, Jorge practically steals the last third of the film with his raw but captivating performance. From an acting perspective, Jorge's next role was considerably smaller. As Pele dos Santos, one of Bill Murray's red-hatted crewmen in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Jorge's character had minimal dialogue and floated on the periphery of the plot However, much like in City of God, Jorge found a way to charm the audience, but this time it wasn't with his acting ability, it was with his musical talent.

To a large extent, all of Anderson's films deal with the difficulties people have relating to their friends and family. In Zissou, Anderson subtlety extended his alienation metaphor further by using Jorge's Portuguese-language renditions of seventies-era David Bowie classics to bridge several scenes, creating an even deeper feeling of disconnection. In preparation for the film, Jorge created acoustic guitar arrangements of several archetypal Bowie tunes, focusing primarily on Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders Of Mars and Hunky Dory. Although relegated to the fringes of the film, Jorge's performance, which consisted primarily of his singing, provided as many memorable moments as the accomplished actors at the forefront. Disappointingly, only six of Jorge's gorgeous compositions were included on the film's soundtrack.

For those yearning for more than the smattering of Jorge's interpretations included in the film comes the release of The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions containing the complete set of acoustic arrangements Jorge created for the film. The collection consists of 13 exquisite reworkings of some of Bowie's most familiar tunes (14 if downloaded through iTunes) and one throwaway track, the whimsical "Team Zissou." In removing the glam, Jorge strips Bowie's songs to their bare bones, bringing to the surface the remarkably elegant melodies that lie beneath. Translating Bowie's lyrics into Portuguese, Jorge not only adds splendor to the compositions but also provides them with a suave and debonair flair a la Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Singing in a lower and warmer register than Bowie, Jorge, through his simple and uncomplicated arrangements, transforms glam anthems like "Rebel Rebel," "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City" into softly meditative pieces. Even in Portuguese, Jorge conveys the wistful emotion of "Quicksand," "Life On Mars" and "Space Oddity" (the iTunes exclusive) with a depth and beauty that transcends language. The one song Jorge truly makes his own is Hunky Dory's "Queen Bitch." That Jorge's most significant screen time comes during the closing credits, where Anderson features the singer playing the Velvet Underground influenced tune immediately after closing the film with the original, highlights the triumph of Jorge's version.

Jorge's interpretations offer a wonderfully different take on familiar Bowie classics. Bilingual listeners will not be thrown by the foreign language: however, for most of us, the removal of ingrained lyrics as well as the elimination of familiar guitar licks will result in these seventies classics being heard with a fresher ear, which should earn renewed respect for Bowie's earlier work. For those seeking a perfect complement to the Arcade Fire's brand of Bowie-esque pop, Jorge's Life Aquatic Sessions neatly fits the bill.

Labels: David Bowie, Seu Jorge