Azymuth
Encyclopedia
Azymuth is a three-piece electric funk
jazz
group
from Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. Formed in 1972, the members are Jose Roberto Bertrami (keyboards
), Alex Malheiros (bass
, guitar
s), and Ivan Conti (drum
s, percussion).
".
From 1979 to 1988, they released many albums for Milestone Records
. They have been releasing albums for various labels steadily since. They had a major hit
with "Jazz Carnival" in 1979.
Since the mid-1990s, they have released albums on the London
based Far Out Recordings label, whilst remaining based in Brazil, and continue to tour in Europe
.
Azymuth have also been involved in producing albums and their artists have been involved in several other projects through the years, including an album by Brazilian singer-songwriter Ana Mazzotti, and the 2005 debut album, Equilibria, by Alex Malheiros's daughter Sabrina Malheiros
.
Since the advent of the remix
, many of Azymuth's songs have been redone by a wide range of artists and musicians. Several electronic acts like Jazzanova
among many others, can be heard remixing their works.
titled The Human Factor.
In 2008 Ivan Conti and hip hop musician Madlib
released an album as Jackson-Conti titled Sujinho
.
, features fellow musicians Aleuda, Robertinho Silva
, Eddy Palmero, Paulinho Trumpete, Ney Conceição, and his own son Victor Bertrami.
titled Atlantic Forest.
2007 Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia feat. Sabrina Malheiros - The Wave (IG Culture Remixes with John Robinson)
Jota Moraes is a keyboardist
who filled in for Bertrami after his departure from the group in 1988. He recorded as a member of Azymuth for the next two albums after the former's departure. Bertrami returned to his role upon the reunion of Azymuth in the mid-1990s.
Marinho Boffa joined Azymuth in recording sessions with German saxophonist Jürgen Seefeld.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Formed in 1972, the members are Jose Roberto Bertrami (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), Alex Malheiros (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s), and Ivan Conti (drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, percussion).
History
They call their music "Samba Doido", which means "Crazy SambaSamba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
".
From 1979 to 1988, they released many albums for Milestone Records
Milestone Records
Milestone Records is a United States based jazz record label, founded in 1966 by Orrin Keepnews and Dick Katz in New York City. The company was incorporated into Fantasy Records in 1972, since then it has been used for reissues as well as for new recordings....
. They have been releasing albums for various labels steadily since. They had a major hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
with "Jazz Carnival" in 1979.
Since the mid-1990s, they have released albums on the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based Far Out Recordings label, whilst remaining based in Brazil, and continue to tour in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Azymuth have also been involved in producing albums and their artists have been involved in several other projects through the years, including an album by Brazilian singer-songwriter Ana Mazzotti, and the 2005 debut album, Equilibria, by Alex Malheiros's daughter Sabrina Malheiros
Sabrina Malheiros
Sabrina Malheiros is a Brazilian MPB singer/songwriter. Her music has been described as "nu bossa", combining house beats with jazz and samba influences and "cool, detached-sounding vocals", and critics have compared her to Brazilian contemporaries Bebel Gilberto and Céu.-Biography:Malheiros was...
.
Since the advent of the remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
, many of Azymuth's songs have been redone by a wide range of artists and musicians. Several electronic acts like Jazzanova
Jazzanova
Jazzanova is a German Berlin-based DJ/producer collective consisting of Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Jürgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, and Axel Reinemer. Formed in 1995, the group is one of the foremost proponents of the nu-jazz, chillout and jazz house styles of music...
among many others, can be heard remixing their works.
Ivan "Mamao" Conti
Released a solo album for Milestone RecordsMilestone Records
Milestone Records is a United States based jazz record label, founded in 1966 by Orrin Keepnews and Dick Katz in New York City. The company was incorporated into Fantasy Records in 1972, since then it has been used for reissues as well as for new recordings....
titled The Human Factor.
In 2008 Ivan Conti and hip hop musician Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
released an album as Jackson-Conti titled Sujinho
Sujinho
Sujinho is a latin jazz collaboration album between American hip hop producer and MC Madlib and drummer for the Brazilian funk band Azymuth, Ivan Conti. This album features Brazilian samba music heavily and features one of Madlib's interests in Latin Jazz...
.
Jose Roberto Bertrami
Bertrami has recorded at least six albums under his own leadership. One of his better known releases, his 2001 album Things Are Different for Far Out RecordingsFar Out Recordings
Far Out Recordings is a UK-based record label specializing is the music of Brazil.The label released a Milton Nascimento performance of two ballets.-Artists:*Aleuda*Antonio Adolfo*Arthur Verocai*Azymuth*Binario*Celia Vaz*Clara Moreno*Danny Wheeler...
, features fellow musicians Aleuda, Robertinho Silva
Robertinho Silva
Robertinho Silva is a Brazilian drummer known for jazz. His first album was "Musica Popular Brasileira" in 1981.He began his career with the band Som Imaginario with Zé Rodrix....
, Eddy Palmero, Paulinho Trumpete, Ney Conceição, and his own son Victor Bertrami.
Alex Malheiros
He released a solo album for Milestone RecordsMilestone Records
Milestone Records is a United States based jazz record label, founded in 1966 by Orrin Keepnews and Dick Katz in New York City. The company was incorporated into Fantasy Records in 1972, since then it has been used for reissues as well as for new recordings....
titled Atlantic Forest.
2007 Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia feat. Sabrina Malheiros - The Wave (IG Culture Remixes with John Robinson)
Other Members
Ariovaldo Conresini was the original fourth member. He provided for the use of other percussions during the recording session of the Azimuth EP and album in 1975. However, Coresini passed away abruptly afterwards.Jota Moraes is a keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
who filled in for Bertrami after his departure from the group in 1988. He recorded as a member of Azymuth for the next two albums after the former's departure. Bertrami returned to his role upon the reunion of Azymuth in the mid-1990s.
Marinho Boffa joined Azymuth in recording sessions with German saxophonist Jürgen Seefeld.
Discography
- 1975: Azimuth (2CD reissue on Far Out RecordingsFar Out RecordingsFar Out Recordings is a UK-based record label specializing is the music of Brazil.The label released a Milton Nascimento performance of two ballets.-Artists:*Aleuda*Antonio Adolfo*Arthur Verocai*Azymuth*Binario*Celia Vaz*Clara Moreno*Danny Wheeler...
) - 1975: Linha Do Horizonte
- 1977: Aguia Não Come Mosca (Atlantic)
- 1979: Light as a Feather (Black Sun)
- 1979: Live at the Copacabana Palace (Isis)
- 1980: Dear Prelude (Compilation)
- 1980: Outubro (Black Sun)
- 1982: Cascades (Milestone)
- 1982: Telecommunication (Milestone)
- 1984: Rapid Transit (Milestone)
- 1984: Flame (Milestone)
- 1985: Spectrum (Milestone)
- 1986: Tightrope Walker (Milestone)
- 1987: Crazy Rhythm (Milestone)
- 1988: Carioca (Milestone)
- 1989: Tudo Bem (Intima)
- 1990: Curumim (Intima)
- 1994: 21 Anos
- 1995: Volta a Turma
- 1996: Jazz Carnival (Far Out)
- 1998: Woodland Warrior (Far Out)
- 1999: Pieces of Ipanema (Far Out)
- 2000: Before We Forget (Far Out)
- 2002: Partido Novo (Far Out)
- 2004: Brazilian Soul (Far Out)
- 2006: Pure: The Far Out Years 1995-2006 (Far Out)
- 2008: Butterfly (Far Out)
- 2011: Aurora (Far Out)
External links
- Azymuth interview on Clubbity