Rogê Releases Joyous Slice Of Brazilian Samba Funk
Listen to “Pra Vida” Here: https://DiamondWest.lnk.to/pra-vida
New Single From Prince Of Rio Nightlife Was Recorded/Produced By Thomas Brenneck (Menahan Street Band, Charles Bradley, Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse), Featuring Strings By Legendary Brazilian Composer/Producer Arthur Verocai
Debut Single For Diamond West Records
Hollywood Bowl Performances with Gipsy Kings August 19 + 20
August 10 – “Pra Vida” (To Life) is a joyous, celebratory slice of Brazilian samba funk from Rogê, a prince of the Rio nightlife scene now living in Los Angeles. “Pra Vida'' captures a magical partnership between Rogê and Thomas Brenneck, the creator of Menahan Street Band, producer/guitarist for Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones and The Budos Band who has worked with Mark Ronson, on Yebba’s latest album (for which he earned a GRAMMY nomination), Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z and Beyonce.
Listen to “Pra Vida” here: https://DiamondWest.lnk.to/pra-vida, which Gilles Peterson spun on his BBC show this past weekend. All analog, this new original song by Rogê is a sun-baked exploration of funk, folk and psych, it’s a first taste of more music to come. Rogê and Brenneck became fast friends and kismet collaborators, recording a number of demos on the very first day they met.
Scruffy and charismatic, Rogê is one of the most exciting singer-songwriters to emerge from Lapa, the center of Rio’s nightlife scene, over the past few years and is on the verge of an international breakthrough. After leaving the violence and corruption at home for Los Angeles, Rogê recorded an album with Seu Jorge that was released in 2020 and featured in the NY Times and the New Yorker. The Latin GRAMMY nominee has released a number of Brazilian solo albums and is also known for co-writing the theme song for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
“Pra Vida” was recorded at Sound Factory in Los Angeles. Rogê and Brenneck also went to Rio for a historic session at Cia Dos Técnicos Studio with Arthur Verocai, the Brazilian composer, arranger and songwriter. Verocai is famous for his 1972 debut album, under-appreciated for decades before becoming legendary in record collector circles, and sampled extensively by MF Doom, Madlib, Ludacris, Cut Chemist and many others.
“‘Pra Vida’ is like a cry for redemption and resistance, of resilience,” says Rogê, “so that we don’t give in to sadness, to laziness, to a lack of desire to move on with life. It’s the certainty that a new day will dawn.”
Rogê (pronounced haw-zheh) will perform at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on August 19 and 20, on a bill with the Gipsy Kings. He just performed a number of shows around the U.S. with The Budos Band and will be announcing more dates shortly.
“Pra Vida” will be the very first single issued on Brenneck’s new label, Diamond West Records, based in Pasadena, CA, which is being distributed by Secretly Distribution. It was launched in partnership with longtime friend, Budos Band bandmate and entertainment lawyer Jared Tankel. Brenneck is in the process of building Diamond West Studios and will announce further label releases soon.