Jorge Ben Jor, Somerset House, London

It's that time again. Every four years the World Cup rolls round and the same set of Brazilian clichés are tarted up for public consumption – Samba soccer, ladies in bikinis and dramatic headgear dancing on the terraces, and, of course, the great party sound of Carnaval.

Not that Jorge Ben Jor, the great veteran of MBP (Musica Popular and Brasileira – exactly what you think), a man who's spent decades dabbling successfully in every rhythmic form imaginable, has ever actively avoided the association. His 1960s hit "Mas Que Nada'' was used in 1998 to accompany a Nike advert featuring the national team and his own back catalogue includes plenty of songs that mention football. The cross over isn't merely a trope. The much-loved tune "Brazil" was written by Ary Velloso, as famous as a commentator as a composer, while Ben himself was a useful player.

After the national side's victory over Sven's brave lads, his first show in London for 12 years promises to be a real celebration in the perfect outdoor setting of the courtyard at this riverside landmark. The Brazilian flag may be flying over the Thames tonight, but it's easy enough to differentiate the natives from the immigrants – the English are the ones not wearing jackets.

Ben may speak no English beyond the usual "Thank you very much'' platitudes but at 61 he still wields a mean funky, or, in his pronunciation, "fonky'' guitar. His band are excellent too, but can his dreadlocked percussionist really be called "Dan McMillan''?

After a decade away, this is a set of fabulous numbers, scratching everyone's itch to dance. It was a great show and considerably more fun than watching England. No one here was chanting "You Can Stick Your Something Samba Up Your Arse."