New “Jazz” Releases for the Week of 4/19/2011

Tags

Andy Snitzer, Azymuth, Dave Juarez, Jazz, New Jazz Releases, Nuno Campos, Orrin Evans

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, I’m elated as always to present the latest jazz releases for the month of April. With each visit, you’ll discover a montage of new jazz recordings featured at Amazon.com that encompasses a generous diet of nuances which includes a wealth of complex and distinctive styles, textures, melodies, and rhythms exalted by a host of definitive and creative voices in the world of jazz.

For the Week of 4/19/2011

For more details, please visit Amazon.com for a complete list of this week latest jazz releases!

..:: SOURCE: Amazon.com ::..

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 ::..

Flux Music Essentials … [Azymuth, Eigsti, Matorin, Walden & Wilson]

Tags

Andrei Matorin, Azymuth, Cassandra Wilson, Jazz, Myron Walden, Taylor Eigsti

Flux Music Essentials

Hello jazz enthusiasts, welcome back for another tasty brew of some of the absolute finest jazz available from the shelves of “Flux Music Essentials.” In the mix this week, I’ve conjured up another diverse palette of music featuring vocalist Cassandra Wilson, Brazil’s finest Azymuth, saxophonists Myron Walden, pianist Taylor Eigsti and violinist Andrei Matorin. Hopefully, during your travels you’ve met these excellent recordings along the way.

Cassandra Wilson - New Moon Daughter

Cassandra Wilson -|- New Moon Daughter – [Blue Note, 1996]

Without a doubt New Moon Daughter is my favorite Cassandra Wilson album. Not to say that the others weren’t also excellent. They definitely were. I still listen to Blue Night til Dawn and Traveling Miles regularly. But New Moon Daughter is something else entirely. It’s not that New Moon is totally different than any other Cassandra Wilson album. It contains no less than five cover songs which are all excellent. Especially the quietly powerful strange fruit. She really adds another dimension to that song. Her version of love is blindness is just as spellbinding as u2 original. I’m so lonesome I could cry is as heartbreaking as any other version that I’ve heard. And her rendition of The Last Train to Clarksville makes you forget that a group called the Monkees ever made such as song. And her version of harvest moon blew me away. But the true strength in New Moon Daughter are the original songs. Of those my favorites are Solomons song and until, both songs are sung with an almost lovers intimacy. It feels as if she singing to you. Overall an excellent album that will please most if not all fans of Cassandra’s Wilson’s music. –-Amazon.com

Various Artists | Far Out Jazz & Afro Funk

Tags

Azymuth, Brazilian Music, Jazz

Various Artists | Far Out Jazz & Afro Funk – [Far Out Recordings – 2010]

Various Artists - Far Out Jazz and Afro Funk

Bringing together driving Afro beat, trademark Latin funk rhythms and American-styled jazz this electrifying collection has been re-mastered for super high quality sound and shows off the field at its best. Far deeper and harder than you’d expect, African roots come through in the infectious batuque drumming, percussion and scatting chants.

Alongside three previously unreleased tunes comes the very best grooving funk from Azymuth’s chart buster ‘Jazz Carnival’ to Sabrina Malheiros’ modern classic ‘New Morning’. This connoisseur’s selection of essential contemporary tracks flows beautifully.

Release Date: 3/1/2010

..:: Source: Far Out Recordings.com ::..

Various Artists | Far Out Jazz Funk

Tags

Azymuth, Braizilian Music, Jazz, Sabrina Malheiros

Various Artists | Far Out Jazz Funk – [Far Out Recordings, 2009]

Various Artists, Far Out Jazz Funk

The third in Far Out Recordings’ hugely popular Brazilian genre series, following on from the massive success of ‘Far Out Bossa Nova’ and ‘Far Out Strictly Samba’, ‘Far Out Jazz Funk’ is a worthy addition to the collection. A digital only exclusive, ‘Jazz Funk’ collects the music Far Out is famous for reviving and bringing in to the 21st century.

Artists like Azymuth, Mamond, Grupo Batuque and Brazilian Groove Band were resurrected by the label and given a new energy working with renowned modern producers and remix artists. The album brings together the very best Brazilian Jazz Funk tracks the label has produced over the last 15 years from legendary early tracks such as ‘Jazz Carnival’ through to modern classics including Sabrina Malheiros’ ‘New Morning’. The album gives a first ever airing to the brilliant and never before released ‘Somewhere Beyond’ by Marc Mac Natures Plan.

‘Far Out Jazz Funk’ brings together Far Out’s finest tracks that flow beautifully together while at the same time encompassing retro, modern and futuristic artists and elements of jazz funk. After their guides to Bossa Nova and Samba Far Out’s third installment gives a concise but wide-ranging insight to a vast field. This classy selection gives a connoisseurs choice of essential Brazilian Jazz Funk.

..:: Source: Far Out Recordings ::..

Azymuth | Brazilian Soul

Tags

African American, Azymuth, International, Jazz

Azymuth | Brazilian Soul [Far Out Recordings/Import, 2004] Revisited

Azymuth, Brazilian Soul

From the beginning the virtuosity of Azymuth resonates with a provocative measure of depth, quality and beauty with their music. Artistically the music of Azymuth has always managed to fill the void alternatively as vocalist Marico Lott effectively illustrates on “Estatico”. Lott’s vocal prowess and tonality massages the mind, body and spirit in his native Portuguese language.

Azymuth takes you on pulsating Brazilian samba with “Biaozinho Carioca” penned by band-mates Bertrami and Malherios. This is without a doubt vintage Azymuth! Vocalists Emilio Santiago lends his talents at the 3rd spot on “Demais”; this track is definitely catchy with the seductive rhythms and colors by the trio.

One of dominant attributes musically by Azymuth has always sustained itself with what I call sneaky funk that’s breezy, samba rhythms an elusive textures that draws you into the passages of their rhythmic soundscapes. “Sambafrica” edifies this brilliantly! The track “Retro Visor” is reminiscent of when I first heard “Telecommunication” the vo-coder provided by Bertrami; funky bass lines of Malherios and Conti’s percussive flavorings are simply awesome. Azymuth’s buoyant spirit takes flight with the festive “Depois De Carnival” featuring vocalist Fabiola.