The album was the last in a series of LPs recorded by Ben, under pressure from Philips to reproduce his widely successful 1963 debut Samba Esquema Novo.

According to Brazilian music aficionado Greg Caz, "Jorge was hustled into the studio and obliged to crank out lesser versions of his debut classic, padded out with sometimes-questionable covers of tunes by other writers.

"[2] The liner notes for the album's 2008 reissue describe it as "a careful mix of originals and covers", abandoning the "groovy" and eclectic music of his live performances in favor of "nightclub-style arrangements" catering to samba and bossa nova audiences.

[5] Meanwhile, Ben's relationship with Philips reached a breaking point and the label terminated his contract, leaving him to work as an independent artist for the next few years.

[2] Years later, music critic Rodney Taylor reflected on Big Ben, saying it "sees him experimenting with more straightforward rock rhythms, while continuing the success of the previous album.