Review by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
No rating supplied
Inspired by Airto and Flora Purim, three men from Brazil got together
to form a band called Azymuth. Jose Roberto Bertrami (keyboards, percussion,
vocoder, vocals), Alex Malheiros (fretless bass, acoustic guitar,
percussion), and Ivan Conti (drums, percussion) made up the trio that
gained popularity in eighties with their own brand of Brazilian jazz
that they called 'Samba Doido' (Translated it means crazy samba).
This two on one CD reissue from Fantasy Records is some of their strongest
work during the height of their popularity.
The albums "Cascade" (1982) and "Rapid Transit" (1983) were successive
and equally strong ventures into Latin jazz that readily created a
sub-genre of jazz. This CD is as all in all wonderful and colorful
as the group's heritage. The sounds of Latin jazz inspire an oneness
with the music and the people that make it like no other. It's deeply
spiritual music rooted in the homeland and culture of the creators.
That is what makes this music so singular and uplifting.
Azymuth took a little bit from every musical genus and created music
that touches your soul. One moment they were knee deep in traditional
jazz, and the next on the cusp of jazz-rock fusion. Those very aspects
are what gave this group an advantage that many others did not have,
a crossover appeal that got the message of their music to a larger
and more accepting audience. Unfortunately Azymuth's recordings disappeared
after the close of the eighties. A big thank you goes out to Fantasy
Records for reissuing this gorgeous music and reviving a deserving
group's music once again for all to enjoy.
1. Club Morocco (Bertrami/Malheiros) - 4:17
2. Cascade of the Seven Waterfalls (Malheiros) - 4:46
3. Through the Window (Conti) - 3:29
4. Remembering Milton (Bertrami) - 5:40
5. Festa Nativa (Bertrami) - 5:22
6. A Woman (Bertrami) - 5:10
7. Indian Pepper (Bertrami/Malheiros) - 5:35
8. Make Mine Guaraná (Bertrami) - 8:42
9. Afternoon (Brant/Nascimento) - 7:51
10. Missing Dotô (Conti) - 2:23
11. Somewhere in Brazil (Malheiros) - 6:17
12. I'm Just Looking Around (Conti) - 5:35
13. Montreux (Bertrami) - 3:42
14. Gate of Time (Malheiros) - 2:43
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