BY WILLIAM LENNON
One of the coolest ways to introduce someone to David Bowie is to introduce them to Seu Jorge. From when he was 10 years old, Jorge worked his way up from a mechanic living on the street to performing as an internationally recognized musician. The Brazilian singer/guitarist’s rise to prominence was accelerated greatly by his fantastic album of Bowie covers made famous by Wes Anderson’s 2004 film The Life Aquatic. Jorge often references the film in his live performances, projecting clips from it on a large sail positioned behind him as he plays. Even Bowie himself acknowledged that Jorge brought his songs to a “new level of beauty.” Less well known outside of his native Brazil (where he is a superstar) is Jorge’s fantastic original work. He hopes to be to Brazil what Bob Marley was for Jamaica, a musician who plays to an international audience but projects a powerful, progressive message back home.