Azimuth CD - Import

Far Out Recordings release the seminal debut album from Azymuth complete with a bonus CD of newly commissioned remixes and re edits, this February 19th 2007. Never released outside of Brazil ‘Azimuth’ contains some of their most incendiary tracks and is quite simply a milestone album in Brazilian music. Coupled with a bonus CD of remixes from todays hottest producers inc. Mark Pritchard, Spiritual South, Peanut Butter Wolf and Recloose, this 2CD set is an essential purchase.Azymuth are the band most commonly associated with Far Out Recordings – they’ve recorded six albums for the label (their 7th is due later this year) and in 2006 Far Out issued ‘Pure’ the 2CD anthology of their best work for Far Out. Azymuth ‘Azimuth’ is the perfect follow up to ‘Pure’ – CD1 takes us right back to the beginning of the story of Azymuth with possibly their finest album ever with its combination of jazz / funk / rock / samba – whilst CD2 brings us smack bang into the present with a collection of 11 all new remixes and re edits from some of the biggest remixers on the scene. This 2CD set ticks all the buttons as a classic package that should appeal to fans of jazz/hip hop and new jazz. With the seminal album on CD1, and a collection of remixes on CD2 that is set surely to be one of 2007s best remix collections – this 2CD set is likely to be one of the releases of this year!• 2CD set for price of 1• CD1 classic album first yet ever worldwide release• CD2 new disc of all new remixes and reedits• Azymuth and Far Out – a winning combination!Azymuth – Jose Roberto Bertrami, Ivan Conti, Alex Malheiros & Ariovaldo - formed in the late 60s just as Os Mutantes released their debut record. Whilst Mutantes were honing a psychedelic ‘Amazonian’ version of western pop music Azymuth were creating a futuristic, electric interpretation of US Jazz - also driven by the same rootsy Brazilian ‘swing’ that Mutantes had harnessed.The original line up of Azymuth consisted of José Roberto Bertrami on keyboards and synths, Alex Malheiros on bass, Ivan Conti (aka Mamão) on drums and timbalas, plus Ariovaldo Contesini on percussion. Bertrami was the drive behind Azymuth’s sound - a control freak and musical genius obsessed with the latest technology who wanted to use it to push the boundaries of music in a way that no one else in Brazil had done. His use of keyboards has drawn comparisons between Azymuth’s work and Herbie Hancock’s early 70s output, yet with it’s Brazilian swing Azymuth’s electric jazz sound is unmistakeably their own.Bertrami rose to fame as an arranger in the mid 60s and by the late 60s he was arranging for the queen of Brazilian music Elis Regina. This pushed him into the major league and by the early 1970s he was arranging for the burgeoning TV novella scene. When not working Bertrami made trips to New York to buy the latest keyboards and synths, ensuring he had the most up to date range of keyboards in Brazil. His work in TV Novellas meant Bertrami knew most of the A&R people in the Brazilian music industry yet when he shopped the demos that became the core of this album round to them in 1973 they didn’t share his vision - one label even going as far as to say that the music was ‘wrong’. Released in summer 1975 the album was a minor commercial success selling 200,000 copies. Opening track ‘Linha do Horizonte’ – a sublime piece of melancholic electronic saudade where deep cinematic synths melt into gently strummed acoustic jazz guitar - was chosen for a TV Novella and went on to sell half a million, propelling Azymuth onto the Brazilian music scene.The rest of the album doesn’t disappoint – track 2, ‘Melô dos dois bicudos’, sees Azymuth plugging themselves into the Brazilian national grid for a slice of electrified psyched out samba funk with crashing military drums, shrieking sirens and psych synths. Track 3 ‘Brazil’ is a lolloping bass led groover with Bertrami’s