Alex Malheiros & Banda Utopia ft. Sabrina Malheiros: The Wave (2009)

Azymuth’s celebrated bass player Alex Malheiros returns with this stunning solo project. Full of perfectly crafted authentic jazz ‘The Wave’ features Banda Utopia’s dazzling musicianship, Alex’s gifted daughter Sabrina Malheiros’ lush vocals and IG Culture remix twists. World renowned and a seriously funky bass player, Alex Malheiros is a genuine Brazilian music hero. As part of the legendary electric jazz funk trio Azymuth, Malheiros has established himself as one of the all time great bassists.

Malheiros delivers a stunning performances on double bass, electric bass, acoustic guitar and backing vocals while the flawlessly arranged keys, brass and percussion of Banda Utopia compliment with a flourish. Alex’s daughter and fellow Far Out recording artist Sabrina Malheiros adds her beautiful 21st century nu bossa vocal to give the album a sublime summertime edge while IG Culture’s remixes fit perfectly with the feel-good atmosphere.

Alex Malheiros learnt his trade playing with the master of Brazilian swing Ed Lincoln in the dance halls of 60s Rio de Janeiro. Alex has performed and recorded with the greats of Brazilian music and is a beautiful songwriter with perfect balance of harmony and groove; the archetypal bass player, calm and relaxed whilst all around him is in mayhem. Alex Malheiros is respected in Brazil as one of the original groove masters, having developed a unique sound with his Rickenbacker bass licks. “This is an album that has motivated me to revisit the time when I started playing professionally in the 60s creating contemporary jazz. ‘The Wave’ features cover versions of Bobbi Humphrey track ‘Uno Esta’ and original Alex Malheiros songs. Daniel Maunick, son of the legendary Bluey from Incognito, produced the album having formed a great partnership with the Malheiros family and the result is a funky and chilled out slice of universal jazz. Standout tracks ‘Uno Esta’, ‘The Wave’ and ‘Copa a Noite’ instantly stick in your mind and with its mix of classic jazz and Brazilian vibes ‘The Wave’ is a record to cherish.

Tracklist

1 Serenity 5:59

2 Uno Esta 4:39

3 Vola 5:29

4 Sem Pressa 3:17

5 The Wave 6:26

6 Baixo Partido 5:20

7 4 Eyed Viper 4:58

8 Corpo 5:32

9 Capa A Noite 5:15

10 Solar 5:25

IG Culture Beatz Up Banda Utopia

11 The Wave (IG's Original Twist) 2:57

12 The Wave (The Plan Mix) 3:42

13 Uno Esta (Remix) 6:57

14 Uno Esta (IG Dub) 5:34

Wave

Hotfile / Depositfiles @ vbr

Azymuth: Butterfly (2008)

This Rio-based jazz/funk/samba trio have been around since the early 70s and started recording for London's Far Out label two decades later. Butterfly is their latest new material for the label – an agreeably smooth, easy going album that's difficult to dislike, but equally, unless you're a hardcore fan, hard to get hugely excited about, by its very laid back nature.

They call what they do samba doido ('crazy samba') but the samba only really manifests itself surfaces occasionally, with the odd twinge of cuica (friction drum), or as on the extraordinary mid-tune percussion breakdown that busts through the veneer of cruisy jazz funk on Avenida Rio Branco.

The core members Jose Roberto Bertrami (keyboards) Alex Malheiros (bass, acoustic guitar) and drummer Ivan Conti are joined by several excellent guests, most notably flautist/saxophonist Ze Carlos and Arthur Verocai, whose guitar solo on New Dawn seems to have been relocated from the Steely Dan songbook. Vocals are pared right down to the occasional scat, as on the breezy Meu Doce Amigo and the chorus of Os Cara La – ''Os Cara La'' chanted over and over in pleasingly dippy fashion.

Bertrami drizzles tasty liquid honey solos from his Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ, especially sweet on New Dawn, while Conti simply dazzles on the frisky, polyrhythic Triagem, on which it would be easy to imagine Tania Maria as a guest vocalist. And Malheiros is one seriously funky bass player. The sparingly used string section give Herbie Hancock's title track a wonderfully spacey lightness that recalls Chris Bowden's Time Capsule album, and the Hancock influence reappears in the grainy, business-like synth sounds of Hole In One.

What sounds like a reco-reco (guiro) makes a weird gasping effect on both Butterfly and Next Summer In Rio, effectively book ending the album. Okay, so the latter treads a fine line between carefree strolling and pedestrian predictability. This may well be music for airport waiting lounges or perhaps the moving staircases of vacuous tropical shopping malls. But if you insist on going to such places, why not do it in style? -- BBC Review

Butterfly

Hotfile / Depositfiles @ vbr

Azymuth: Azymuth (Remastered & Remixes) (2007) [2 cd]

This 1974 debut from psychedelic Brazilian funkateers Azymuth gets the remaster/reissue treatment it deserves. Displaying their unique melding of electric jazz, funk, and the casual swing of Brazilian samba, 'Azimuth' is a classic album and the perfect playground for the remix talent that contributes to the second disc. Peanut Butter Wolf lends a production hand to the breezy, organ-led jazz of "Morning," while remix don Spiritual South deftly reworks "Wait For My Turn" from slo-mo funk into cut 'n' paste samba. The revitalization process continues throughout with new takes on old classics by Recloose, Marc Mac, and Yam Who?" - XLR8R (April '07)

This long lost Azymuth jewel gets a repress from Far Out - part historical document, part springboard for an album of remixes and re-edits by today's finest producers. The original album is worth checking for the seeds of what would become the Azymuth sound, particularly the Brazilian boogie funk of 'Caca A Raposa'. But the rework album offers some real bullets tho, none smacking harder than the opener 'Melo Dos Dois Bicudos,', which gets the Mark 'Harmonic 33' Pritchard treatment. Well worth checking." - Straight No Chaser (Spring '07)

Tracklist:
1. Linha Do Horizonte 4:29
2. Melô Dos Dois Bicudos 3:08
3. Brazil 3:58
4. Seems like this 4:31
5. Caça A Raposa 5:12
6. Estrada Dos Deuses 3:41
7. Wait For My Turn 3:01
8. Montreal City 3:19
9. Morning 3:48
10. Periscópio 7:36
11. Melô Dos Dois Bicudos (Harmonic 313 Re-Edit) 4:10
12. Wait For My Turn (Spiritual South Remix) 7:26
13. Linha Do Horizonte (Mr Beatnick Remix) 5:45
14. Montreal City (Volcov Re-Edit) 4:29
15. Estrada Dos Deuses (Recloose Re-Edit) 5:43
16. Seems Like This (As One Remix) 6:53
17. Periscópio (Marc Mac for 4hero Re-Edit) 6:05
18. Morning (Peanut Butter Wolf Re-Edit) 3:42
19. Caca A Raposa (DJ Venom Re-Edit) 4:42
20. Linha Do Horizonte (Kashmeer Brothers Remix) 3:38
21. Wait For My Turn (Yam Who Remix)
Azimuth (Remastered & Remixes)
Part 1 - Part 2 (DF) / Part 1 - Part 2 (HF) @ 320K

Azymuth: Woodland Warrior (1999)

An album of variation and plenty of surprises from the Brazilian masters of electric jazz fusion. -- Amazon
Tracklist:
1. Amazon Adventure
2. Quest?
3. Laranjeiras (Orange Grove)
4. Sinto Muito (So Sad)
5. Woodland Warrior
6. Festa Nativa (Native Festival)
7. That's Today
8. Xingo
9. Ah Voce Nao Sabe (You Don't Know)
10. Chameleon
Woodland Warriors
Rapidshare / Hotfile @ 320K

Azymuth: Partido Novo (2002)

A delicious new album from Rio's finest, 'Partido Novo' finds Azymuth in reflective mood. Covering a range of styles, with jazzy interludes and soothing Bossa Novas giving way to 70s space-age funk and traditional Brazilian sambas.

Partido Novo is their 5th album for Far Out. Still going strong they have added a special chilled touch along with plenty of gorgeous melodies and vocals. Partido Novo translates as broken or off-beat and accordingly tracks feature a dirtier, heavier sound with funky 70s soundtrack vibe as well as the usual samba magic with a mellow wistful summery twist. Blending past and present, this is a brand new album of broken funk and blissed out beats from Brazil's legendary group.

Tracklist:

1. Em Marica (In Marica)

2. Partido Novo (Newley Broken)

3. Tempo Classico Prelude (Classic Times)
4. Tempo Classico (Classic Times)
5. Rede de Espera (Waiting Web)
6. Nome Dele E Joan (My Name Is)
7. Meu Amigo (My Friend)
8. Duro de Roer (Hard to Bite)
9. Livre Como Um Passaro (Free as a Bird)
10. Suadade Do Doutor (Still Missing Doutor)
11. Questao de Etica (Question of Etiquette)
12. Algodao Doce (Cotton Candy)
Partido Novo

Rapidshare / Hotfile @ 320K

Azymuth: Live at the Copacabana Palace (1999)

Personnel: Jose Roberto Bertrami (vocals, keyboards, percussion); Alexandre Malheiros (vocals, bass); Aleuda (vocals, percussion); Ivan Conte (drums).

Recorded live in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in March 1979.

Tracklist:

1. Partido Alto

2. Light As A Feather
3. Dona Olimpia
4. Montreux
5. Jazz Carnival
6. Existe Isto
7. Voo Sobre O Horizonte
8. Jazz Carnival Short Version
Live At Copacabana Palace
Depositfiles / Hotfile @ 320K

Azymuth: Tightrope Walker (1986)

By the mid-'80s, "fusion" had long been a dirty word in jazz circles, with the once-interesting melding of jazz and rock marred by far too many lukewarm, noodly, and pop-oriented albums by artists who had forgotten the initial questing spirit of the music. Happily, there was also the Brazilian trio Azymuth, whose records were undeniably slick and full of synthesizers and electronic drums. The key, however, is that the electronics never overpower the percussion, electric bass, and piano that are at the root of the trio's sound. There are a few weak moments (the hip-hop-influenced "Folklore" sounds terribly dated, like a cheap knockoff of Herbie Hancock's "Rockit"), but when Azymuth is exploring the softer side of Brazilian jazz, it's unbeatable. Reflective without being overly mellow, tunes like the playful, Bill Evans-like "Pygmalion" and the tender ballad "Tu Me Delirio" are mainstream jazz that doesn't insult the intelligence. CTI Records fans will particularly appreciate the relaxed grooves of the final two tracks, "Samba da Barra" and "Brazil." -- AMG

Tracklist:

1. Tu Mi Delirio
2. Broken Key
3. If You'd Like to Know (Se Queres Saber)
4. Folklore
5. Pygmalion
6. Tightrope Walker
7. Other Side of the Coin (O Outro Lado da Moeda)
8. Samba da Barra
9. Brazil [*]
Tightrope Walker
Rapidshare / Hotfile @ 320K

Azymuth: Crazy Rhythm (1988)

With Crazy Rhythm, Azymuth may well have recorded its best album ever by rejecting gimmickry and focusing on what it does best — sensuous, understated yet rhythmically exciting Brazilian jazz/pop/R&B. Brazilian artists have often been quite adept at creating music that has light and delicate qualities, but never degenerates into "elevator muzak." Like the bossa nova of the '60s, Crazy Rhythm is "easy listening" music with a difference — some of it was soft enough for airplay on "quiet storm" and "smooth jazz" radio, but nothing on this CD comes across as contrived or calculated. Jose Roberto Bertrami delivers one of the finest solos of his career on the beautiful and enchanting "Diza," and special guest Joe Pass (guitar) is in fine form on "Tropical Horizon" and "Hobalala."

Crazy Rhythm (RS) / Crazy Rhythm (HF) / Crazy Rhythm (DF) @ 320K

Azymuth: Outubro (1980)

Outubro is Azymuth's tribute recording, in a sense, to their Brazilian brothers and sisters. It leans heavily on José Roberto Bertami's Fender Rhodes as a direct means of communication, with gorgeous guitar and bass work by Alex Malheiros, and top-notch drumming by Ivan Conti, who engages the tonal and programming reaches of the ARP 2600. The album was recorded in 1979 and its first nine cuts were remixed in 1980 when it was finally issued. The most successful moments here are the covers, where the trio digs into spaced out, modern-day electric jazz classics such as "Light as a Feather," and "500 Miles High," both of which are closely associated with Return to Forever, its vocalist at the time Flora Purim, and her husband, percussionist Airto Moreira. In addition to beautifully rendered versions of these tunes, there are readings of Toninho Horta's "Dona Olimpia," Ivan Conti's steaming "Swamp, (Pantanal)," and Milton Nascimento's "October" ("Outubro" in Portuguese). Of the originals here, Bertami's tribal percussion workout "Carta Pro Airto" ("Letter to Airto"), the slippery late-night funk of "Partido Alto" and Malheiros' breezy postmodern pop tune "Friend" work best. The extended faux-disco monolith — compete with cheesy electronic drum effects — of "Jazz Carnival" mars the proceedings a bit, making this an imperfect but nonetheless utterly listenable and enjoyable set from this prolific trio.

Outubro (RS) / Outubro (HF) / Outubro (MU) @ 320K

Azymuth: Telecommunication (1982)

A mixed bag that has more strengths than weaknesses, Telecommunication demonstrates Azymuth's ability to occasionally get into trouble when resorting to hi-tech gimmickry for its own sake, but also illustrates how rewarding the Brazilian trio can be. With its vocoder-ish hijinks, the funk-influenced "May I Have This Dance" is a dated and corny bit of silliness unworthy of Azymuth. But there's also much to admire on this CD, including the haunting "The House I Lived In," the sensuous "Country Road," and the sentimental "Last Summer in Rio." Though keyboardist/pianist José Roberto Bertrami and bassist/guitarist Alex Malheiros do not always stretch out enough, the results are quite appealing when they do.

Telecommunication (RS) / Telecommunication (MU)