If you’re confused as to how Brazilian singer Seu Jorge and The Decoders (a group of some of LA’s most talented musicians, including members of Fool’s Gold and Rhye) ended up joining forces for this particular song, look no further than legendary BBC DJ Gilles Peterson.
At a special event held at the Sonos Studio in Los Angeles, the gatekeeper of world music and the ultimate tastemaker, Gilles hosted a live version of his radio show which included an interview by KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley and a post show performance The Decoders.
It was no secret that Jorge was in attendance as he was one of a handful of artists, producers, and DJs to be interviewed by Gilles throughout the course of his “live” Radio Show, but whether or not he would be performing was a mystery.
After Gilles had wrapped up his show and officially passed the torch over to the Decoders, you started to get the feeling that something really special might happen. After all, with that kind of talent in one room, how could it not?
After a few excellent tracks that got the crowd moving, there was a slight pause until Jorge was introduced and the band played the first few bars of Roy Ayers’ famous song “Everybody Loves the Sunshine”. What happened next was an instant classic. Seu’s deep, unpolished voice mixing perfectly with power and soul of singer Jimetta Rose.
After giving it a listen, it’s hard to imagine that this wasn’t planned. But leave it up to Gilles to collect such a troupe of talent that anything and everything is possible.
Stream “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” Live on KCRW: