Butterfly

The mighty Azymuth make their individual stamp in 2008 with a brand new studio album which acts as a follow up to ‘Brazilian Soul’ released in 2004. This brilliant new project displays the bands timeless ability to push the boundaries of jazz infused electronic music. ‘Butterfly’ is a pioneering selection of new tracks that will appeal not only to the hardcore Azymuth fanbase but also to new fans of jazz and electronic music. Their eighth studio album ‘Butterfly’ sees Azymuth staking their claim as the true legends of Rio’s music scene, even three decades after their debut during the swinging 70s.

Butterfly is Azymuth’s eighth studio album with Far Out Recordings, coming thirty five years after defining their own particular brand of jazz, funk and samba that they like to call samba doido – crazy samba.

For those passionate about the Azymuth sound this album presents ten more fantastic tracks showcasing the band at their best, weaving together a series of beautiful jazz motifs mirroring the brightly coloured wings of the butterfly. With light free-flowing compositions such as Meu Doce Amigo whose lofty flute sees our butterfly soaring away, a poignant track, translated simply as ‘my sweet friend’, dedicated to bass-player Alex Malheiros’ beloved son who passed away in 2003.

Co produced with David Brinkworth (Harmonic 33) the result is perhaps the purist synthesis of the Azymuth sound during their 14 years of recording with Far Out Recordings. As David recalls it was a natural process of creation, ‘they are really so experienced musically that they can take an idea you may have and transform it in seconds into something beyond your original starting point. They know how each one of them thinks, even before they strike a chord or hit a beat’. Mamao is quick to add that the process is totally democratic, ‘When we start a track each one of us offers our opinion. We start with the swing, Bertrami creates a melody and Alex (on bass) composes his part and then spontaneously for my part I come in with the chorus. That was how Os Caras La was born.’ The result is a boogie jazz funk monster proving that the band has not lost any of their deftness in forging a pop/ jazz dance hit.

In homage to the great Herbie Hancock, one of their enduring influences and inspirations, the album is entitled after his composition Butterfly. As Alex notes, ‘We have identified with Herbie since the Sixties and because of this we have a lot in common, discovering new horizons and also the admiration for Butterfly.’ As Far Out label boss Joe Davis observes, ‘As they have covered some Herbie tunes in the past it was my idea for them to do this track and to get Arthur Verocai to arrange it with a string section and flutes. ‘A truly great version!’

Tracks including Catitu and Triagem are deeply rooted in the Azymuth sound. Catitu is a classic style samba, written by Mamao, it has his fast touch and potent upbeat samba. Catitu also typifies the playfulness of the band, named after a type of spiky pig which when it feels threatened throws it needles in all directions so as to warn it’s enemies! Triagem is full of exquisite melodies and the natural harmonies of Rio de Janeiro that only Bertrami can play.

The analogy of the butterfly has a certain resonance for a group that has been through a few metamorphoses, starting out with their early experimental albums in Brazil, followed by a move America in the Eighties to release their classic jazz funk albums before forming their most enduring relationship with Far Out Recordings in the Nineties.

The group first met whilst playing in different bands at the Canecao, Rio de Janeiro’s leading live music venue before going on to form Grupo Seleca, a prototype for Azymuth which did the bar and clubs circuit in Copacabana and beyond. The name Azymuth was inherited from the title of a composition by Marcos e Paulo Sergio Vale on the film soundtrack O Fabuloso Fittipaldi after Marcos Valle invited them to record with him.

Their first release as Azymuth is a hugely collectible 4-track single which still goes for several hundred dollars. The EP featured the track ‘Melo da cuica’ which was a bit of a hit on a television novela and launched Azymuth onto the national scene. This was quickly followed up in 1975 by their debut album entitled ‘Lind a De Horizonte’ which once again produced another huge TV success.

In 1977 they repeated the success with the album Aguia Nao Come Mosca and played in the Montreux Jazz Festival, the first Brazilian band to do so. Now with a growing international reputation they packed their bags for the United States following an invitation from Flora Purim and percussionist Airto Moreira to join them on a coast to coast tour. The tour was a huge success and resulted in a recording contract with Milestones and their first international record Light as a Feather. The album was released in 1979 and sold over 500,000 copies internationally and remained in the UK Top 20 for eight weeks. Throughout the Eighties Azymuth went on to record a string of albums on Milestones consolidating their position as perhaps the most successful band ever to emerge from Brazil.

In the Nineties Azymuth hooked up with Joe Davis and Far Out Recordings to start the most recent and enduring phase in their career, recording eight albums and leading to collaborations with the likes of 4 Hero and Roni Size before leading to the current release of ‘Butterfly’.

Label boss Joe Davis sums it up perfectly, ‘the sheer quality of melody, feel & playing on Triagem was a joy to behold, I still don't get tired of listening to that track. Chuva Cai was the combination of Azymuth, the writing & the arranging of Arthur Verocai. I think the effect they had on each other created something new & unique, a special moment.’

“Arguably the most successful band to come out of Brazil…you’re in the hands of masters. ‘Butterfly’ is the best Azymuth album to date. Truly sublime stuff.” Songlines ****

“A deeply satisfying collection of suitably fluttering ethereally tripped-out grooves.” Metro

“Butterfly has a warm, enduring funkiness that still sounds totally fresh.” Jazzwise

“Butterfly hovers between rare vibes and Azymuth’s own Brazilient groove.” XLR8R

“Bertrami drizzles tasty solos, Conti dazzles and Malheiros is seriously funky.” BBC.co.uk