Azymuth -][- Aurora [Far Out UK]

Tags

Alex Malheiros, Azymuth, Jazz, Jose Roberto Bertrami, Michel Legrand

Azymuth - AURORA

Azymuth -][- Aurora – [Far Out UK, 2011]

Returning to their huge old school sound, this new recording celebrates 35 years of Azymuth as “arguably the most successful band to come out of Brazil”. The signature swing samba is heavier than ever with a string of unforgettable tunes: from dance-floor fillers and lush jazz to hard, grooving samba funk and warped psychedelia. Together the original three piece Azymuth orchestra has made their strongest album since the seminal recordings ‘Azimuth’ and ‘Light as a Feather’. Discover why musicians as diverse as Friendly Fires and Madlib are addicted to this innovative boogie monster.

The follow-up to 2008’s ‘Butterfly’ draws on the sound that was so synonymous with their work in the 1980s, mixing disco, jazz, funk, psych, and samba with their super style, playing, and improvisation. Together with producer Daniel Maunick and David Brinkworth (Harmonic 313), Azymuth recorded Aurora in Rio de Janeiro over a two week period. Opening the set is the cool, fresh title track ‘Aurora’, which features Alex’s daughter and fellow Far Out recording artist Sabrina Malheiros on vocals alongside Marcio Lott. ‘In My Treehouse’ is an extremely personal track written by Bertrami, which is influenced by his oak tree and dreams that recall his childhood playing in a tree house in his mother’s hometown. ‘Isso É Partido Alto’ encapsulates the sound of Azymuth, the focus on their signature groove, partido alto (one of the oldest traditional samba rhythms). ‘Diz No Pé’ is a samba monster combining broken drumming with syncopated samba instrumentation, written by Ivan Conti. ‘Carnaval Legrand’ is dedicated to one of Jose Roberto Bertrami’s peers – the great Franco-Armenian arranger and composer Michel Legrand, while ‘Meu Mengô’ is inspired by Alex Malheiros’ football team – Flamengo – another passion shared with his Azymuth band-mates.

With Aurora their finest work yet for the label, the samba legends swinging ‘samba doido’ (crazy samba) is primed to win over another generation of fans. You’re in the hands of masters.

..:: SOURCE: Far Out UK ::..

Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia with Sabrina Malheiros | The Wave

Tags

Alex Malheiros, Bass, Brazilian Music, Jazz

Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia with Sabrina Malheiros | The Wave – [Far Out (UK), 2009]

Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia with Sabrina Malherios

Beautiful grooves from Alex Malheiros — best known for his bass work in Azymuth, but stepping out here in a warm and wonderful set of his own! The groove here really takes us back to the sunny, soulful fusion we first loved when Azymuth hit the scene in the 70s — and Malheiros’ guidance of the groove is really felt strongly in the album’s warm-rolling basslines — a beautiful complement to a lineup that also includes Fender Rhodes, tenor, soprano sax, flute, trumpet, and trombone — plus a bit of occasional vocals from Sabrina Malheiros! Production is wonderful — handled by Daniel Maunick with some of the warmth of his Incognito work — and IG Culture comes in at the end to remix four of the album’s tracks — almost creating a mini-modern suite to complement to the core 70s vibe of the record. Titles include “The Wave”, “Corpo”, “Copa A Noite”, “Solar”, “Sem Pressa”, “Baixo Partido”, “Serenity”, “Uno Esta”, and “4 Eyed Viper” — plus remixes of “The Wave” and “Uno Esta“, the latter of which is a version of the Bobbi Humphrey classic!

Listen too samples of this spellbinding recording by Alex Malheiros.

..:: Source: Dusty Groove.com ::..