An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". CD

A great live set from Azymuth – recorded in Rio in 1979, with a harder, more open feel than most of their studio work of the time! The set takes off with the intensity of a classic 70s fusion set – led by the majestic keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami, really kicking out here with a sound that's not nearly as restrained as on the group's studio albums for Fantasy. Aleuda joins the trio on vocals on a few cuts, and titles include "Jazz Carnival", "Partido Alto", "Light As A Feather", "Montreux", "Dona Olimpia", "Voo Sobre O Horizonte", and "Existe Isto". LP, Vinyl record album

It's been 30 years since Azymuth first took the Brazilian jazz scene by storm – and in that time, they've never let up a minute! From their initial tripped-out recordings to their soulful dancefloor classics, California fusion, and recent London gems, the group's never faltered a bit – and has always served up an incredible blend of Brazilian rhythms and funky fusion with a very soulful finish! This album marks the group's 30th year in jazz, and it's one of their best of the past 20 – a sublime effort that's dripping with warm keyboard lines, grooving with spacey rhythms, and overflowing with great help from guest singers and musicians that include Roberto Menescal, Emilio Santiago, Marcio Lott, Fabiola, Ze Carlos,Leo Gandleman, and Roc Hunter! The Brazilian Soul title is extremely fitting – as the group manages to groove with a soulful undercurrent, yet never sounds too slick or too held back – as is evidenced by the really free-flowing keyboard work on the set. Titles include "Sem Destino", "Biaozinho Carioca", "Depois De Carnival", "O Lance", "Te Querendo", "Sambafrica", "Roda Piao", "Pra Ze", and "Estatico". CD

Amazing early work from Azymuth – rare demo recordings done at the home studio of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami, in the short space before the group issued their legendary debut! The tracks here are as much jazz funk as they are the later modes that Azymuth would put forth – killer instrumentals that are really driven by great keyboard lines from Bertrami, who'd already been making music in other formats for years – and who works here on Fender Rhodes, Arp, Clavinet, Hammond, and a range of other keyboards too! The drums are fantastic, too – handled by a young Ivan Conti, who gets help on percussion from an early fourth member of the group, Ariovaldo Contesini – and as you might guess, the incredible basslines of Ivan Mamao Conti really help the whole thing groove. All material is very well-recorded – these aren't rough or unfinished tracks at all – and the whole thing should just be thought of as a first chapter for the group, right before they started putting out their famous records. Titles include "Prefacio", "Castelo", "Melo Do Cuica", "Xingo", "Laranjeiras", "Eqiupe 68", "Unknown Song For Mario Telles", "Manha", "Duro De Roer", "Quem Tem Medo", "Juntos Mais Uma Vez", and "Bateria Do Mamao". CD

The legendary Azymuth take on one of their all-time classics – the tune "Jazz Carnival", which helped the trio move from being a Brazilian fusion combo to lasting legends of a jazzy dancefloor! Side one features the full 8 minute version of the tune from 1996 – building beautifully up over time, with great beats layered underneath the sweet keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami! The "space jazz mix" is a bit sharper and more contemporary – a nice crackle, but still plenty of soul. 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of the sweetest electric records to come from 70s Brazil – the fabulous first effort from the Azymuth trio, and work that's hardly been matched again! Although the group here have plenty of the warm keyboard touches of their more famous later work, they're also moving in territory that's a bit more abstract as well – using some noisier electronics amidst the smoother ones, to create a style that's somewhere between fusion, electric funk, and some of the more soaring Brazilian rhythms of the post-bossa years! The keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami are worth the price of admission alone – and include Fender Rhodes, Arp, and clavinet – plus bits of Hammond organ too! There's more than a few great breaks and samples on the set – and titles include "Brazil", "Caca De Conta", "Melo Dos Dois Bicudos", "Manha", "Periscopio", and "Montreal City". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic fusion from Azymuth – a group who just couldn't miss during these early 80s California years! The sound here is smooth, but never slick – always a little offbeat, and quite different from more mainstream US fusion of the time – thanks to the genius of Jose Roberto Bertrami's keyboards, which glide one moment, dip the next, and often have these slight changes in speed that are totally great. Other members of the core trio include Alex Malheiros on bass and guitar and Ivan Conti on drums and percussion – and the set also features guest work by Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica, Jose Carlos on flute, and Sidney Moreira on percussion. Titles include "Remembering Milton", "Club Morocco", "Through The Window", "Festa Nativa", "Cascade Of The Seven Waterfalls", and "Indian Pepper". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly mellow grooves from Azymuth – a set that nicely lives up to the "Flame" in the title – and which shows the strengths the trio picked up during their years in the US! The sound here is round and soulful – a great fusion of the group's roots in the 70s Brazilian fusion scene, and some of the smoother styles of the California one – never in a way that's too soft or commercial. As usual, there's a heavy emphasis on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who also sings a bit in a wordless, scatting sort of way. Flora Purim joins in on vocals on the cut "The Textile Factory" – and other titles include "Tamal Vista Boulevard", "Rapa Poeira", and "Flame (O Amor E Chama)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare promo pressing of these two excellent Brazilian jazz dance numbers, but with a strong modern flavor that keeps them perennial favorites on the stepper's scene here in Chicago, and on jazz funk dance floors elsewhere! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Wicked early work from Azymuth – one of the albums that the group recorded when they were really starting to take off on the global scene – burning strong with a soulful fusion vibe, lots of Brazilian rhythm currents, and always hitting all the right notes in their music! The sound here is still relatively spare, and sublimely reliant on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who plays Fender Rhodes, organ, and percussion on the set. Ivan Conti handles the main percussion, though – a great mix of tight work on the drum kit and rootsier, Airto-like elements that are totally great – and the whole thing's driven along nicely by bass and guitar from Alex Malheiros – a perfectly fused lineup that really hits their own groove on the set. Guests include Aleuda on percussion and vocals, Gordinho on surdo, and Doto on repinique – and titles include "Papasong", "Outubro", "Maracan", "Un Amigo", "Carta Pro Airto", and "Dear Limmertz". LP, Vinyl record album

Proof that Azymuth were one of the few groups who could keep things real at a time when most of their fusion contemporaries were sounding cloying and commercial! The album's got a well-rounded sound that really shows the group's roots in the 70s, and their wonderful evolution over the years – that keyboard-heavy sound that's always warm and soulful, and never too tinny or beat-heavy. Jose Roberto Bertrami's keys come across with a 70s warmth that most groups were lacking by this time – and the backing from Alex Maheiros on bass and Ivan Conti is always very subtle, and simple too – swirled up alongside the keyboards, and mixed in with a few occasional bits of guest instrumentation – including trumpet from Marcio Montarroyos on one track, and flugelhorn from Paulinho Olivera on a few more. Titles include versions of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Jobim's "Song Of The Jet", and Ivan Lins' "The Island", plus the cuts "Universal Prisoner", "Candomble", and "Areis". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant batch of tracks from one of London's best! Kirk Degiorgio is well known for his respect for, and use of, classic modes of keyboard-driven electric jazz funk – so it's extremely fitting that his new Offworld group features the members of Azymuth, one of the greatest keyboard-driven fusion groups of all time! The set's pretty darn fantastic – and kind of begins with the funky jazz style of recent Azymuth albums for the Far Out, then pumps it up a bit with Kirk's chunky style of production. The whole thing's a brilliant blend of Brazilian and British, classic and modern, and it's probably the best non-Brazilian release on the Far Out label to date! Tracks include "Two Worlds", "Ostinato", "The Visitors", "Tornado", "Black Magic", "Nurnen Sun", and "Ups & Downs". CD

An incredible little record – and the set where it really all comes together for this legendary funky jazz group! Azymuth were already great on their debut, although maybe a little experimental at times – but here, they really find the soulful groove that later got them big fame on the US scene – effortlessly blending their tight jazz skills with a dose of samba soul, and turning out some wonderfully groovy music in the process! There's clearly an influence here from the best years of Earth Wind & Fire – but also more of the edge that you'd expect from the young trio – as the amazing Jose Roberto Bertrami blows us away with his wickedly sharp keyboard solos, as Alexandre Malheiros and Mamao create these beautiful rhythms that go way past anything you might have expected from a trio. The whole thing's wonderful – one of the most soulful Brazilian records of the 70s – and titles include the great cuts "Tarde", "Tamborim Cuica Ganza Berimbau", "Falcon Love Call", and "Aguia Nao Come Mosca". CD

A great live set from Azymuth – recorded in Rio in 1979, with a harder, more open feel than most of their studio work of the time! The set takes off with the intensity of a classic 70s fusion set – led by the majestic keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami, really kicking out here with a sound that's not nearly as restrained as on the group's studio albums for Fantasy. Aleuda joins the trio on vocals on a few cuts, and titles include "Jazz Carnival", "Partido Alto", "Light As A Feather", "Montreux", "Dona Olimpia", "Voo Sobre O Horizonte", and "Existe Isto". CD

Amazing early work from Azymuth – rare demo recordings done at the home studio of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami, in the short space before the group issued their legendary debut! The tracks here are as much jazz funk as they are the later modes that Azymuth would put forth – killer instrumentals that are really driven by great keyboard lines from Bertrami, who'd already been making music in other formats for years – and who works here on Fender Rhodes, Arp, Clavinet, Hammond, and a range of other keyboards too! The drums are fantastic, too – handled by a young Ivan Conti, who gets help on percussion from an early fourth member of the group, Ariovaldo Contesini – and as you might guess, the incredible basslines of Ivan Mamao Conti really help the whole thing groove. All material is very well-recorded – these aren't rough or unfinished tracks at all – and the whole thing should just be thought of as a first chapter for the group, right before they started putting out their famous records. Titles on this second volume include "Manha", "Duro De Roer", "Quem Tem Medo", "Juntos Mais Uma Vez", and "Bateria Do Mamao". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Azymuth rises from the ashes – on this, their first record after the passing of keyboardist Jose Roberto Bertrami – with a sound that takes us back to the amazing cosmic funk of their first few albums in the 70s! The new keyboardist, Kiko Continentino, has a sound that's really wonderful – the same sort of spare approach to Fender Rhodes that made Bertrami so great back in the day – but also maybe a bit more edge than Jose had in recent years, which gives the group a really refreshed sound, and a lean groove that's completely sublime! The trio are joined by percussionist Robertinho Silva and keyboardist Daniel Maunick at some points – and Maunick also produced the record. Titles include "Orange Clouds", "Neptunians", "Fenix", "Villa Mariana", "Papa Samba", and "Rio Doce". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Azymuth's best-remembered albums from their American years on Milestone – a really killer classic that beautifully blends Brazilian and American styles of fusion! There's a simple, elegant feel to these tunes that takes off nicely from the group's previous album for Atlantic in Brazil – a pushing forward of the soulful sides of their style, but with just the right blend of quirkier elements as well – one that still keeps the edge of the early years, yet helps the group reach out with a wonderfully warm sound! Most tracks are quite spare, and without any too-smooth polishing in production – and titles include the classic "Jazz Carnival", a funky fusion classic if there ever was one – plus "Light As A Feather", "Avenida Das Manguerias", "This Exists", "Partido Alto", "Dona Olimpia", "Amazonia", and "Young Embrace". CD also features four bonus tracks – "Jazz Carnival (full original mix)", "Avenida Das Manguerias (SS translation by Theo Parrish)", "Jazz Carnival (Yambee rework by Ashley Beedle & Yam Who)", and "Codsall Juniors" by Mark E. CD

A fantastic combination of funky grooves – the studio talents of Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and the Brazilian-tinged fusion of the legendary Azymuth! The jazzy trio are in great form here – tunes that are lean, and which really offer up all the best aspects that the group brought to their music back in the late 70s and early 80s – spun with a slightly different format by the lineup of Alex Malheiros on bass, Ivan Mamao Conti on drums, and Linklon Kiko Contentino on Fender Rhodes and keyboards – but handled perfectly by Adrian and Ali in the studio – with just the right sort of sound to avoid some of the slicker production that the group had on some of their other American recordings from years back. All tunes are new originals – and titles include "Pulando Corda", "Friendship Samba", "Apocolyptico", "Cat Jump", "Fall Afternoon", "Ao Redor Do Samba", and "Sumare". CD

Wonderful music from Lucas Arruda – an artist who embraces some of the warmest, most soulful styles of Brazilian music from back in the 70s, but manages to deliver them with a crisp contemporary spin! There's a lot of vintage Azymuth-styled grooves here – wicked rhythms, excellent keyboards, and a jazzy sensibility that makes for a magical flow throughout – and while there's some great soulful vocals on the set, the album also has plenty of strong instrumental moments too – a real delight all the way through, and an instant classic that may well even top Lucas' previous albums! Andre Mota lends some great vocals to the set – and titles include "The Mountain", "4:28 AM", "Novos Planos", "Ominira", "Projecoes", "The Bravest Heart", "Chant & Dance", and "Abraco Pro Ed". LP, Vinyl record album

A different groove than usual for Jose Roberto Bertrami – and a record that definitely lives up to the promise of its title! Bertrami's really broken free from the regular Azymuth groove on this set – much more so than on some of his recent solo albums – playing here with a vibe that's very jazzy at times, with a range of different modes – mod one minute, funky the next, and sweetly straight at other points! Jose Roberto handles his familiar Fender Rhodes on most tracks – but also plays a bit of organ and acoustic piano as well – and other instrumentation includes guitar, bass, and drums – plus added horns on some of the fuller, funkier tracks. A few tunes feature some great wordless vocals from Bertrami – scatting along with his keyboards in a warm and breezy way – and production on the set is great, thanks to the Far Out touch – never too smooth, and quite different from any of Bertrami's albums recorded in the US. Titles include "Laranjeiras", "Choro", "No Tempo Da Bossa", "O Pescador", "Ecstatic 70", "Brilliante", "Eighties Times", "Aventura", and "Maixa". CD

Really mindblowing work from legendary drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti – a key part of Azymuth through that group's many years – and still going strong here as a solo artist on his own! The album's almost a 21st Century realization of the sound that Azymuth was going for back in the day – cascading percussion with plenty of influences from Brazilian music and jazz, often given some electric elements along the way – but always in a style that's warmly organic, and right on the groove! Conti gets help from younger Azymuth and Incognito generations – as Alex Malherios plays bass on the record and Daniel Maunick handles keyboards, more percussion, and production – all at a level that never stomps on Ivan's vision at all – and which instead makes the whole thing as rewarding as any Azymuth session we've heard over the past few decades. Most tracks are instrumental, save for some airy wordless vocals – but Thiago Martins sings lead on "Que Legal", and other titles include "Aroeira", "Bacurau", "Poison Fruit", "Jemburi", "Ecos Da Mata", "Encontro", and "Tempestades". CD features bonus mixes – "Ilha Da Luz (Tenderlonius rmx)", "Encontro (Glenn Astro rmx)", "Que Legal (Reginald Omas Mamode IV rmx)", "Encontro (Max Graef rmx)", and "Poison Fruit (Dokta Venom's digital dub rmx)". CD

Really mindblowing work from legendary drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti – a key part of Azymuth through that group's many years – and still going strong here as a solo artist on his own! The album's almost a 21st Century realization of the sound that Azymuth was going for back in the day – cascading percussion with plenty of influences from Brazilian music and jazz, often given some electric elements along the way – but always in a style that's warmly organic, and right on the groove! Conti gets help from younger Azymuth and Incognito generations – as Alex Malherios plays bass on the record and Daniel Maunick handles keyboards, more percussion, and production – all at a level that never stomps on Ivan's vision at all – and which instead makes the whole thing as rewarding as any Azymuth session we've heard over the past few decades. Most tracks are instrumental, save for some airy wordless vocals – but Thiago Martins sings lead on "Que Legal", and other titles include "Aroeira", "Bacurau", "Poison Fruit", "Jemburi", "Ecos Da Mata", "Encontro", and "Tempestades". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from the Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra – a group with family ties to Azymuth and Incognito, and who work here in the best blend of Brazilian and soulful elements that might imply! The ensemble is a crowning achievement for the Far Out label – a summation of all the great work they've done from the London scene, including their reintroduction of key Brazilian musicians of the 70s – all soaring to the skies here, with a richly collaborative energy! The group features lots of keyboards from Jose Roberto Bertrami, guitars from Alex Malheiros, and keyboards and rhythms from Daniel Maunick – plus great contributions from many others, including some help from the legendary Arthur Verocai. Most tunes groove in a mighty nice way – not vintage disco, but a soaring, righteous 21st Century version of club – on tunes that include "Step Into My Life", "Flying High", "Black Sun", "The Two Of Us", "Walking Bass", "Give It To Me", and "Where Do We Go From Here". CD also features bonus instrumentals of most songs on the album! CD

Fantastic futuristic fusion from Alex Malheiros – best known as the bassist in Azymuth, but equally great here on his own – and in a completely different sort of way! The set's got heavy contributions from keyboardist Daniel Maunick, of Incognito fame – but the record's definitely got that well-crafted blend of jazz funk and Brazilian rhythms you'd know from Alex's legacy, but maybe tuned a bit more towards a 21st Century sort of groove – the right London touches in all the right places, in the best tradition of the Far Out label! Sabrina Malheiros sings on a few cuts, but most numbers are instrumental – and titles include "Retrato", "The Razor's Edge", "Telegramas Para Arp", "O Temporal", "Kuarup", "Alto Verao", and "Requiem For A Storm". CD

Wicked funky fusion from Opa – a Brazilian-inspired set, and one with loads of great electric moments! Although originally from Uruguay, Opa are best known for their Brazilian-tinged albums on the soul/jazz Fantasy records label in Cali during the mid 70s – great placement, given that their sound is a bit like Azymuth – with a similar mix of South American roots and contemporary electric grooves! This album is actually their first – captured in America before their two classics on Fantasy – and featuring a sharp quartet that includes legendary pianist Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards – a great talent who'd already made jazz and bossa records in the 60s – working here with George Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums, percussion, and flute – plus Ringo Thielmann on bass. The core trio is also joined for this record by percussionist Pappo Atiles – and although there's some light vocal touches, they've got that breezy style that was often used in Brazilian jazz at the time – almost more instrumental than vocal. Titles include a great take on Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" – plus "Back Home (The Inner City)", "Brother Rada", "African Bird", "Goldenwings", "Brooklynville", and "One & One & One Is Two". CD

Wicked funky fusion from Opa – a Brazilian-inspired set, and one with loads of great electric moments! Although originally from Uruguay, Opa are best known for their Brazilian-tinged albums on the soul/jazz Fantasy records label in Cali during the mid 70s – great placement, given that their sound is a bit like Azymuth – with a similar mix of South American roots and contemporary electric grooves! This album is actually their first – captured in America before their two classics on Fantasy – and featuring a sharp quartet that includes legendary pianist Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards – a great talent who'd already made jazz and bossa records in the 60s – working here with George Osvaldo Fattoruso on drums, percussion, and flute – plus Ringo Thielmann on bass. The core trio is also joined for this record by percussionist Pappo Atiles – and although there's some light vocal touches, they've got that breezy style that was often used in Brazilian jazz at the time – almost more instrumental than vocal. Titles include a great take on Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" – plus "Back Home (The Inner City)", "Brother Rada", "African Bird", "Goldenwings", "Brooklynville", and "One & One & One Is Two". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set of 70s jazzy grooves, served up with a very unique criss-crossing of modes – as the record was created by brothers Hugo and Jorge Fattoruso, who emerged on the 60s scene in Uruguay with some great work in bossa nova and jazz – recording here with Airto at the production helm, on a set of tracks that were issued by Fantasy Records with a sweet Cali vibe! The whole thing is great – in the territory of Azymuth, but with a groove that's very much its own – as there's lots of really excellent keyboard work, and snapping drums and percussion that really drive the whole thing along in a soaring, soulful approach to funky fusion! Hermeto Pascoal plays flute on a couple of numbers and Airto guest on a number of tracks, too – and titles include "Golden Wings", "Groove", the suite "Pieces: Tombo/La Escuela/Tombo/The Last Goodbye", "Corre Nina", and "African Bird". CD

A fantastic set of 70s jazzy grooves, served up with a very unique criss-crossing of modes – as the record was created by brothers Hugo and Jorge Fattoruso, who emerged on the 60s scene in Uruguay with some great work in bossa nova and jazz – recording here with Airto at the production helm, on a set of tracks that were issued by Fantasy Records with a sweet Cali vibe! The whole thing is great – in the territory of Azymuth, but with a groove that's very much its own – as there's lots of really excellent keyboard work, and snapping drums and percussion that really drive the whole thing along in a soaring, soulful approach to funky fusion! Hermeto Pascoal plays flute on a couple of numbers and Airto guest on a number of tracks, too – and titles include "Golden Wings", "Groove", the suite "Pieces: Tombo/La Escuela/Tombo/The Last Goodbye", "Corre Nina", and "African Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous new work from Arthur Verocai – the Brazilian legend who's best remembered for his sublime self-titled album from the 70s, but who sounds equally great on this contemporary release! The record has a really classic feel overall – warm, soulful, and filled with plenty of jazzy touches – the best of which are brought to the record by Azymuth, who help Verocai out on about half the album's tracks! But even without their assistance, the whole thing's still plenty darn great – a brilliant batch of original tunes that have a bubbling, mellow sort of majesty – a bit like Marcos Valle or Edu Lobo's best music of the early 70s, and with a similar sort of sophistication as well. Verocai plays acoustic and electric guitar, and vocals are by a variety of guest singers who really get the spirit of the album nicely (including Ivan Lins on one track.) Titles include "Tupa Tupi", "Sucuri", "Abertura", "Bis", "Amor Na Contra Mao", "Caminho Da Roca", "Tudo De Bom", and "Dona Das Meninas". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy grooves from the Far Out label – a set of cuts from the company that don't just fall into their usual Brazilian bag – and which stretch out in a sweet array of styles that include funky fusion and African-inspired rhythms! Most of the artists here normally work in a Brazilian vein, but the collection offers up some fresh takes on their sound – and also manages to pull together some more obscure Far Out tracks, including a few unreleased cuts too! Titles include "Poweride" by Marcos Valle, "Pembe (unreleased version)" by Future Warriors, "Somewhere Beyond (unreleased version)" by 4Hero Presents Natures Plan, "Eighties Times" by Jose Roberto Bertrami, "Magnetic Feel (unreleased version)" by Roc Hunter, "Chameleon (Offworld rework)" by Azymuth, "Strike Hard" by Troubleman, "Jazz Carnival" by Azymuth, and "New Morning" by Sabrina Malheiros. CD

Fantastic stuff – and one of the greatest records ever by Brazilian keyboardist Antonio Adolfo! The album was recorded at the end of the 70s, and has a sound that's a lot like the best fusion work by Azymuth – a great mix of jazz and funk, plus more dynamic Brazilian elements – all wrapped together in a way that a rare few hybrids do this well! There's great keyboards right up front in the mix – and the backing has some tight percussion that crackles along and gives the album a heavy bottom and a great groove. The album was originally only issued on the tiny Artezanal label – but it feels like a lost gem from the classic funk years at Fantasy Records – internationally funky, far past just a Brazilian music gem. Titles include the massive break cut "Cascavel", plus other nice tracks like "Viralata", "A Marcha", "Assanhada", "Vermelhinho", and "Brincadeira Em Mi Bemol". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic Fender Rhodes from a contemporary Brazilian trio – one who almost seem to take on the best territory that Azymuth worked in back in the day! The sound is lean – just the drums of Joao Fideles, bass of Noa Stroeter, and the mighty nice Rhodes work of Henrique Gomide – a player with a warmly expansive style that sounds beautiful over the well-crafted rhythms on the set! Gomide plays a bit of other keyboards at points, but always with the warmth that's the album's real calling card – a sweet keyboard sound that hearkens back to the generation of Johnny Hammond and Lonnie Liston Smith – and done with a quality level that's supremely high, and really earns those references as comparison! Titles include "A Rocha", "Osaka", "Malibu", "Mancini", "Laguna", "Costa Cordobas", "Vila Macarena", and "Baleia Azul". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful project that was years in the making – a mix of American club and Brazilian elements – put together by a group that includes members of Azymuth and Banda Black Rio, as well as the legendary Arthur Verocai! Jose Roberto Bertrami's the strongest contributor here – and the music really echoes that great late 70s/early 80s point when the Azymuth fusion groove crossed over into tighter, funkier territory – coming off here with a sound that's got really universal appeal and a wickedly classic vibe overall – like some unusual cross-breeding of Brazilian grooves and Salsoul Records! Vocals are by Mia Mendes and Marcina Arnold, but the instrumentation is even better than the lyrics – filled with jazzy touches, blended with bits of strings, and perfectly produced all the way through. Really tremendous stuff – one of the freshest records we've heard from Far Out in years – with titles that include "Mystery", "Keep Believing", "Dead Dance", "The Last Carnival", "A Disco Supreme", "Vendetta", and "Don't Cha Know He's Alright". 2CD set features 8 more bonus remix tracks too! CD

One of the best records in years from the mighty Far Out label – and a set that really takes the imprint back to its roots! The name of the record echoes the first Friends From Rio session that launched Far Out almost two decades ago – and like that classic, this one's a collaborative effort between a range of Brazilian and British talents – served up in a style that bridges the gap between older bossa and more contemporary modes! The music is perfect from the ground up – not a cheesy bossa remix project, but a true blend of all the best elements, served up in a rich new style. The project gets key Incognito-style help from Daniel "Venom" Maunick, and a real Azymuth pedigree from Alex Malheiros – and the whole thing features a great range of different singers, including Hyldon, Robertinho Silva, Aleh Ferreira, Ivan Matheus, Denise Pinaud, Sabrina Malheiros, and Carlos Dafe – each wrapped up in a sweet blend of Fender Rhodes, organ, riffing guitar, and sweet jazzy horns. Titles include "So Resta A Porta Se Abrir", "Mas Que Nada", "Garota", "Aguai", "Casino Bangu", "Batucada Bidu", "Anthemia", "Leita De Pedra", and "Mulher Malagueta". CD

A Brazilian jazz keyboard masterpiece – a set you can put right up there next to the earliest records by Azymuth, even though this one's much more obscure! Keyboardist Marcos Resende never hit the kind of fame he deserved, but that also allowed him to be one of the most creative players on his scene – as he never had to go for crossover fusion material, and instead was able to let loose in amazing ways on a record like this – blending work on Fender Rhodes with other keyboards – in a quartet that features Rubao Sabino on bass, Claudio Caribe on drums, and Oberdan Magalhaes on tenor, soprano sax, and flute! The mix of reeds and keys is wonderful – spun out freely, but always with a strong sense of rhythm – that soaring, joyous approach to jazz that makes the best Brazilian albums of the period so wonderful. Titles include "Behind The Moon", "Martinha", "Nina Nenem", "My Heart", "Nergal", and "Praca De Alegria". LP, Vinyl record album

The evolution of Far Out's excellent Brazilian Love Affair series – featuring standouts from earlier volumes as well as new and exclusive tracks! Brazilian Love Affair Revisited celebrates the series to date as well as it charts the evolving sounds of Brazil and its London interpreters – and shows where the sound is going via newer material and younger talents. A great set with both classic and contemporary legends such as Ed Motta, Marcos Valle, Joyce, Azymuth and others, respectful remixes and interpretations by Osunlade, Mark Pritchard and Kirk Degiorgio, newer tracks from more recent Far Out arrivals such as Raf Vilar and Clara Moreno. 15 tracks in all: "Os Escravos Do Jo (Precussion Edit)" and more by Friends From Rio 2, "Ponteio" by Da Lata, "Nova Bossa Nova" by Marcos Valle, "Paz" by Troubleman feat Nina Miranda, "Todos Os Santos" by Joyce, "Preguiciman" by Mamond, "Bossa Me" by Raf Vilar, "Without Words" by 4 Hero Presents Nature's Plan feat Ed Motta, "Sem Pressa (Remix By Danny Wheeler)" by Alex Malheiros And Banda Utopia feat Sabrina Malheiros and more. CD

Spacey Far Out Brazilian grooves from the stellar label's roster – some of the wilder, more tripped out and psychedelic sounds on the label – from leftfield dancefloor grooves, to psych rock inspired grooves, to some of the more experimental numbers by Brazilian music legends! The 2CD set features numbers by Azymuth, Joyce, Binario, Jose Mauro and others – including a number of remixes that have never been released on CD before now! Includes "Apocalipse" by Jose Mauro, "Reza Brava" by Piri, "Tudo Bonito" by Joyce, "Black Magic" by Kirk Digeorgio Presents Offworld, "Caca A Raposa" by Azymuth, "Diretriz" by Binario, "Ao Amigo Quartin by Victor Assis Brazil, "Las Vegas" by Rabotnik, "Intergalactic You, Intergalactic Me" by Troubleman and many more. CD

A contemporary set, but one that sparkles with all the best brilliance of the 70s scene in Brazil – and that includes such heady company as Marcos Valle, Azymuth, and Joao Donato! As with all those artists at the time, Lucas Arruda has a groove that's strongly based on Fender Rhodes – warm keys that are underscored with some great acoustic percussion that gives the whole thing an earthy core at the bottom, and a vibe that's quite different than any American fusion of the time! The music is completely sublime throughout – very jazzy in its inflections, but also with a more freewheeling approach – as you'd hear on classic keys from Jose Roberto Bertrami. The set's got a bit of vocals, but really focuses on the keyboards – and titles include "Physis", "Rio Afternoon", "Batuque", "Alma Nova", "Sambadi", "Carnival", and a sweet cover of "Who's That Lady". CD