Though Jorge is best known in the States for his acting roles in the breakout 2002 Brazilian movie City of God (in which he played Knockout Ned) and 2004's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, the Rio de Janeiro resident has been a fixture in Brazilian pop since the late Nineties. Jorge emerged as a member of pop group Farofa Carioca, but his most recent album, Cru, is a departure from the electronica flourishes of Farofa. The album centers on spare acoustic arrangements and Jorge's stately but expressively melodic voice. Songs such as "Don't" and "Bola de Meia" ("Sock-Filled Ball") manage to sound both hopelessly romantic and irreversibly forlorn (think a fair-weather Nick Drake). This is a golden opportunity to hear one of Brazil's most distinctive voices.

Seu Jorge performs Thursday, September 8, at I/O, 30 NE 14th St, Miami. Doors open at 9:00 pm. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. For more information, call 305-358-8007.