Maybe you saw Seu Jorge last year in that offbeat movie with Bill Murray called "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." Murray stars as an oceanographer and Jorge is crew member who enigmatically strums an acoustic guitar and delivers very cool Brazilian renditions of David Bowie classics. Singing in Portuguese Jorge makes "Starman" a samba and "Rebel, Rebel" a bossa nova song. Hearing Jorge's version of the Bowie songs is familiar, but strange, like photograph of someone you can't quite place.

Jorge's role in "The Life Aquatic" is a bit part, but memorable one. He had much larger role in the brilliant Brazilian film "City of God" (2002), as one of the young criminals trying to survive in the violent slums of Rio de Janeiro. Much like the kids in that movie Jorge, 35, grew up in a favela, or slum, on the outskirts of Rio. Fortunately Jorge has managed to escape that dangerous world of gangsters and drug traffickers through his music.

Jorge's band Farofa Carioca was a music/circus/theater troupe that had a big Brazilian hit song at the end of the '90s called "Moro no Brasil (I Live in Brazil.)" Jorge's debut solo album, "Samba Esporte Fino" (2001), was voted album of the year in Brazil and featured powerhouse samba tunes like "Carolina." Jorge has a brand new CD called "Cru", which translates as "Raw?' The new album is a more stripped down production that puts the focus on Jorge's deep, soulful voice, which sounds a bit like Sly Stone. He covers Serge Gainsbourg and Elvis Presley and rails against silicone breast implants on "Mania de Peitao." Some people are hailing Jorge as the next Brazilian super star and, at the very least, as a very talented and charismatic performer.

Seu Jorge and a small band will play tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. at Pearl Street. Tickets are $17.50 in advance and $20 at the door.