the project

Against all odds, keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami and his Brazilian jazz-rock band, Azymuth, made quite a name for themselves in the early 1980s, playing an infectious music that blended the subtle melodies of bossa nova with hot samba rhythms and a dash of rock and roll. Light As A Feather, the group's first release, is filled with fiery Brazilian sounds and the kind of beats that make you want to get up and dance. This fusion classic is available through a special CD only release on the Black Sun Music label, thanks to their producer, Joel Leibovitz.

Light As A Feather is a superb introduction to the many talents of the Brazilian band which accompanied Flora Purim on her critically acclaimed 1978 American tour. It was Purim's assertion that Azymuth was the best group in Brazil today that gained United States exposure for the group in their own right. A textural delight, Light As A Feather features a seemingly endless variety of exotic percussion devices tastefully blended together with the uniquely spiced outpourings of Bertrami's synthesizers. The Flora Purim/Stanley Clarke title track is an ethereal standout, while the Azymuth original Jazz Carnival offers an extended jaunt through electrifying solos and heated percussion licks against a throbbing dance beat. In fact, it was this cut which propelled Light As A Feather to the top 10 in jazz charts worldwide.

the artists

Azymuth features José Roberto Bertrami on keyboards and percussion, Alex Malheiros on bass, Ivan Conte on drums and synthesizers, and Aleuda on additional percussion. The group was formed in 1969 in Rio de Janeiro. Due to the overwhelming prominence of Brazilian pop, Azymuth barely survived during their first decade because of their insistence on playing jazz and samba influenced instrumentals. The band's break came in 1978 when Bertrami was invited to pen some tunes for an album by percussion virtuoso, Airto Moreira. A tour with Flora Purim added to the group's notoriety, and a few months later the musicians signed a recording contract. Several well-received albums followed, including Outubro (15007-2).

tracklist