interview with Flora Purim

The music of Flora Plurim has been at the forefront of Latin and American jazz music for over 25 years. She has earned two Grammy nominations for Best Female Jazz Performance and Downbeat Magazine Best Female Singer accolade on four occasions.
Flora’s musical partners have included Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie and she has collaborated with Airto Moreira on over 30 albums since 1967 when they arrived in New York with him in from their native Rio.


Her musical taste and genius developed thanks to her father, a Russian émigré, who played violin and her mother who was a talented pianist in her own right. Before leaving Brazil to escape the repressive regime of the time, she, like many Brazilian musicians, had mastered playing piano and guitar whilst developing her impressive vocal talent.
After arriving in New York Flora and Airto became central to the period of musical expression and creativity which produced the first commercially successful Electric Jazz groups of the 70s.


Pianist Duke Pearson was the first American musician to invite Flora to sing alongside him on stage and on record. She then toured with Gil Evans, and she worked with Chick Corea and Stan Getz as part of the New Jazz movement that also contained the influence of the great Cannonball Adderley.




In the early 70’s, two classic albums - "Return to Forever" and "Light as a Feather" introduced the fusion jazz sound!

Her first solo album in the US, Butterfly Dreams was released in 1973, which catapulted her straight into the Top Five Jazz Singers on the Downbeat Magazine Fame Jazz Poll.

During her career Flora has given her contribution to some of the greatest recordings of the seventies - Carlos Santana, Hermeto Pascoal, Gil Evans, Chick Corea and Mickey Hart . In the mid-Eighties, Flora and Airto resumed their musical partnership to record two albums for Concord for which she received a Grammy nominations and she continues to record and perform right up to the present day.

Jazzmotel is proud to present a LADY OF JAZZ.

This is the interview with Flora Purim.





One question I always ask the artist interviewed for Jazzmotel is: What are your musical origins? How did your taste develop?


My music origins are Brazilian and classical.

In 1967 you left Brazil for New York. Up until then with whom had you collaborated and what had been your experiences in Rio. Tell me about the musical atmosphere that was around Brazil at that time.



I became a professional singer in 1965. I worked extensively with Hermeto Pascoal, Sambalanço Trio, Sambraza Trio and recorded my first LP, entitled Flora é MPM, for RCA Victor. I also sang with the big bands of Maestro Cipó and Pocho as well as with the small ensemble called 7 de Ouros. I worked at the night club Stardust and at the temple of the Bossa Nova in
São Paulo, the João Sebastião Bar. The musical atmosphere was of the high quality of musicians and musicianship that had only one interest in mind: play, play, play! Brazil was beautiful and very inspiring in many different ways.


Musically speaking, what differences did you notice between New York and Brazil?


When I arrived in New York, it was December of 1967, and all I wanted was to listen to my favorite singers and musicians in jazz, which I did in a couple nights when I found out that in the Harlem was a jazz hang called Club Baron. Every active musician in town would converge to that club after their regular gigs, with the purpose of jamming. In other words the difference was only one. I could improvise in any style, and that was acceptable and welcome.
That time was indeed energetic and electric.


How was your first musical contact with New York jazz and in what way did you become part of the jazz musicians scene?


Then I joined Chick Corea and the original Return To Forever, along with bass player Stanley Clark, saxophonist and flute player Joe Farrell, Airto Moreira on drums, while I played percussion and sang unison lines on the melodies with the saxophones and flutes of Joe Farrell. When the group was not touring I would be rehearsing and singing with one of my mentors Gil Evans and his Big Band.


The first time I heard your voice was when I heard "Stormy" from the album "It Could Only Happen With You" of Duke Pearson. And I loved it.
Tell me something about your experience with the music of Pearson and Blue Note.


Duke Pearson fell in love with Brazilian music at first contact. And besides being an A&R and executive director for Blue Note, Duke had his Big Band and invited me to sing in two of his vinyl (LP) records: “How Insensitive” and “It Could Only Happen With You”. It turned out very nicely. He loved it and so did I.


Gil Evans has influenced your music and your artistic development in many ways. Of all his work, what has left its mark on you the most?


One his collaborations with Miles Davies entitled Miles Ahead: Miles Davis +19.


How can we define that New Jazz movement introduced by you, Airto, Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke among others? That sort of Electric Jazz with tropical undertones from the beginning of the 70's that they call Fusion.


I feel that fusion is not a bad way to describe it, except that we have to clarify that there are many types of fusion. That was a Jazz/Brazilian fusion; maybe we should call it illusion.


George Duke, Deodato, Hermeto Pascoal, Duke Pearson, Cannonball Adderley, are a few of the musicians with who you have worked. How much have they influenced your way of making music?



George Duke and Hermeto Pascoal as well as Airto and Gil Evans were the ones who helped me to decide the way I chose to sing by encouraging me to go ahead with my experimentations and validating me by coming to recordings and being part of my process of evolution.


What do you think of contemporary music that fuses 70's jazz with electronic
music?


I think is fine to try it but not everybody knows what it takes to successfully achieve a good result.

Do you think it has the same significance as the electric jazz that you used
to play?


No, I don’t think so.

Flora Purim
Paris - France, June 10th 2008.

Interview with Eumir Deodato

From Eumir Deodato web site :
Widely regarded as one of the most respected and sought-after musicians in the music world, Brazilian-born Eumir Deodato has racked up 16 platinum records to his credit as artist, arranger or producer with combined sales of well over 25 million records in the USA alone.
His discography, including compilations and all his work as arranger, producer and keyboardist, surpasses 450 albums.
In addition, several artists over the years have covered his songs, including George Benson, Lee Ritenour, Sarah Vaughan and The Emotions to mention just a few.
Deodato will probably forever be associated with one song - his innovative rendition of Richard Strauss' classical opus Also Sprach Zarathustra (or more commonly known as the theme to 2001: A Space Odyssey).



It's a big honour for me to guest here at JAZZMOTEL one of the greatest Brasilian Composer .
Together with Marcos Valle , Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes , Deodato is the man who made the Brasilian Music History.
In this interview I ask Eumir to talk about his very early period ..and I discovered another great man and artist of course.
Enjoy another great JAZZMOTEL interview .






I know that you have always had a great passion for orchestral music and that you recorded your first session with a 28 piece orchestra when you where 17.
Who were your favourite composers and who inspired your taste?

Some of the classical orchestrators that inspired me a lot were Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Alban Berg, Paul Hindemith, Rimsky-Korsakoff  and a few others. On the jazz and pop side, Gil Evans, Oliver Nelson, Bob Brookmeyer, Henry Mancini, and many others.

 
1964 was a very prolific year for you. From your first album "Inútil Paisagem" where you mainly performed and rearranged classic pieces by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes up to "Idéias" where apart from the songs of Marcos Valle and other composers, we started to hear some of your own compositions. How did you go about choosing the tracks for your LP´s?

Usually together with the record company and some of the writers of the songs involved.


 
Again in 1964 with "Impulso" and "Tremendão", you begin a chapter which is very dear to me: Os Catedráticos, the use of the organ and a turning point for Bossa Nova, for me ...
Tell me about this project and of the contribution that the organ gave to create that sound that today is known as Lounge.



This started with my collaboration with a small Brazilian label called Equipe. I did an album for them called "Los Danseros In Bolero" since boleros were still very popular in Brazil. It had an instant success which was then followed by Os Catedráticos which was originally intended as a dance group playing mostly samba and slow dancing pieces.

 
Roberto Menescal, Paulo Moura,Wilson das Neves, Maurílio Santos, Rubens Bassini, Dom Um Romão, Airto, Bebeto remember are a few of musicians you have played with. What kind of relationship did you have with these great musicians considering that you were all very young and full of ideas?

These were mostly studio musicians at that time and also the best ones you could find then.


 
Milton Nascimento, Marcos Valle, Elis Regina and Antonio Carlos Jobim in Rio and then you moved to New York in 1968 and you started to work with the Brazilians that were already there: Luiz Bonfa, Astrud Gilberto, Walter Wanderley and again with Marcos Valle . What was the difference between composing in Brazil and composing in the States? Were there other influences at work in the States and what were they?





The major differences of working in the States versus Brazil is primarily the fact that in the States the musicians have a more serious development (studying in colleges and Universities) and a very good sense of "team" as opposed to "individual" which happens a lot in Brazil and other less developed countries. Besides, it´s much easier to find equipment and instruments in the US.  Better and more advanced studios etc.

 
You arranged "Beach Samba" for Astrud Gilberto and you were noticed by Creed Taylor, from then on you started to produce for many artists. In which way did your musical taste change working for CTI?

I learned a lot by working with the Creed Taylor "team" (Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, Ron Carter, George Benson, Eric Gale, Ray Barretto and many others). My most important lesson was to be simpler and let the individual musicians create on their own, which was not the case in Brazil where I had to write note by note for the guitar, for example. As far as my "taste" in music, it did not change at all. Just my "perception" of people´s vision of "pop jazz" and other styles.




 
Your arrangements on CTI for Wes Montgomery, Paul Desmond, Stanley Turrentine George Benson and Tom Jobim made your style much sought after even by artists that were not essentially jazz, like Frank Sinatra (Sinatra & Co.) Roberta Flack (Killing Me Softly, Chapter Two, Quiet Fire) and Aretha Franklin (Let Me Be Your Life). How important were those collaborations for you?

It was always very important to me, to be able to get involved in diverse situations. The biggest challenge for an arranger is to be able to deal with different styles and personalities. But it is even more important to make sure that the artist achieves its goals either musically or even commercially. It´s also essential to work with the record company to make sure that they are happy enough to spend good money in promotion for that particular project. It would be a very serious mistake to go against the record company or trying to impose your musical "views" into a project that needs your help and specific work done.
 

 
And then "Prelude" in 1973 and Also Sprach Zarathustra, 2001: A Space Odyssey, right up to worldwide success and 16 platinum records, and all the other albums (at least 450 in the whole career ) on which you worked on as a musician, producer and arranger .
How did Deodato career change after that in the 70´s ...

I went "on the road" (traveling and doing concerts around the world) and met many wonderful people what in turn helped the continuation of my work even as an arranger. Also got involved with a couple of other movie soundtracks etc.


 
A funny thing and a curiosity : Marcos Valle told me that after exchanging his Rhodes for a DX7 he regretted it and he once came to New York to the hotel Suite where you lived and he asked you to sell him one of your Rhodes. What´s your version of this story?it makes me always smile ...


Since I had many keyboards (6 Fender Rhodes...) I agreed to sell him one of my best ones. We were always good friends...

 
How do you see Eumir Deodato today?

I see Eumir Deodato every day... In the mirror !!! Specially when I´m shaving...

For other infos about Deodato click the link to his site :

 

WHAT IS JAZZ ?

A night after one of my Jazzmotel DJ set sessions I was thinking about Jazz .
What is Jazz ?
How Jazz influenced me and my style ....
How the people who come and listen to me are influenced by Jazz .
After that I start to think about all the musicians and the Bands I select during this sessions and I start to think about the way they had to think about Jazz .
What their were thinking during their sessions , their compositions , their recording sessions ?
That night I decide to write a mail to my friends musicians and composers to ask them to resolve my dubt,if I can call it dubt !
So I wrote em : “tell me something about Jazz , straight from your inside” .
Some of them were nearly playing , some just composing and some just chilling...
This is what they kindly wrote me ....
I think this is a great opportunity for me and for you to see what the real players think about it !




Jazz is a clever conversation among people who admire each other , even if
they haven?t met before .
The theme must be good , so they may get excited to change ideas and
improvisations about it .

Marcos Valle


Alessio hi-Simon from the Heavies-crazy Englishman-Here's my
thoughts.......
'Jazz is the teacher, funk is the preacher'.-James Blood Ulmer. That
statement says it all. Jazz is Dead?! But what is Jazz? As I sit here
in my hotel room in New York writing this, Roland Kirk comes on my ipod
randomly-It sounds so alive. In my life as a member of the Brand New
Heavies Jazz has been many things-a dance music, a way of approaching
soloing, a cheesy thing, a place of great individuality and
interaction. It's as indefinable as the origin of the word is
untraceable. Jazz has had genres where it can be named-from 'Dixieland
to Be-Bop and on.The greatest Jazz musician of the last century, Louis
Armstrong, created a starting place for a music that through the
decades has by the very nature of it's essence fused into the
undefined. It's a social music that as it met many other styles over
the decades became absorbed into them and visa versa. I personally love
fusion-Africa meets Europe in America. I'm gonna keep this short and
give some recommended listening n reading if that's o.k.
Books-Beneath The Underdog-Charles Mingus-Has e real good tip on a
great sex technique! Straight Life-Art Pepper. Has a great story of
when his wife woke him up and tells him she's booked a session with the
famous Miles Davis Rhythm section. But he's not played for a while n is
strung out-but he makes the studio and records an album-the great thing
is, you can buy the album he made n hear these guys meeting n talking
thru music right there.That stuff don't happen no more.
Tunes-
West End Blues-Louis Armstrong (1927)
Fly Town Nose Blues-Roland Kirk (Check this out on youtube)
Shit it's 5 a.m and I've got a gig tomorrow! Hi JAZZMOTEL, Seeya, Si.

Simon Bartholomew ( The Brand new Heavies )



Namaste Alessio,
At a time when Jazz is fast disappearing world-wide from our radio stations and Jazz clubs disappearing in the USA.

We celebrate the freedom principle!
We give thanks for the inspiration information passed on by the leading lights, Byrd, Miles, Dizzy, Trane and the rest.
We play and we dance, and we find peace and much love.
For like you...Music is my sanctuary and Jazz my citadel.
Bluey
( Incognito)


Jazz is the ultimate spontaneous expression.

Alan Hawkshaw ( Composer , Organist KPM & Mohawks )


Jazz is rhythm, busy yet smooth
Jazz is also a wonderful groove
Jazz never dies, doesn't tell lies
If you will listen your life can improve
Jazz is a music form that stretces out, far and wide, to underscore vibes, thoughts, feelings, and vision. It is expressive, eclectic and very special to the ears and imagination. You can be taken on a journey, or just groove, or both.

JAZZ BY JOHN MANUEL ( Ramp )


JAZZ IS A RARE ART FORM THAT LET'S A MUSICIAN EXPRESS HIS VIEWS TOWARDS HIS CRAFT.. THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF JAZZ AND EACH ONE COMPLIMENTS THE OTHER. THANK GOD FOR THE PIONEERS OF JAZZ WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP THIS GREAT MUSICAL EXPERIENCE.------------
CHEERS JOE BATAAN


Hey Alessio, good to hear from you, and glad that your gonna be a dad. We
the people of the planet must continue and combine our efforts to make the
future free for our children, anything less than that is a betrayal of our adult responsibilities.
As for Jazz, my poem "Jazzoetry" expresses my impressions and thoughts on the Art Form.
Also "Bird's Word"....
Peace In, and all the best.........
Jalal

Interview to Marcos Valle

Like a dream come true i went in contact with one of my great Idols , my favourite Brasilian composer , Mr Marcos Valle.
I discover a great man , humble and cool , a man with an open mind , an artist always ready to experiment and create new sounds always with his great and unmistakable sound and touch ...heres a chat with Marcos Valle




I read you studyed classical music , wich one is your favourite classical
composer , theres someone who inspired your musical taste and style?


M: Ravel and Debussy were the pricipal ones.


Listening to some of your records like " Garra " or " Marcos Valle " from
1970 i heard that in songs like " Des Leis " i can feel some kind of 60's
European or American infuence , wich bands were an ispiration for you?



M: Steely Dan,Chicago, Earth,Wind And Fire, Beatles, Harold Melvin And The
Blue Notes, War, Blood,Sweat And Tears, were some of them.



My Marcos Valle favourite tunes are " Ele e Ela "," Viagem " and "Pigmaiao
" also because i love that kind of waltz tempo , can you tell me something
more about " Ele e Ela " and waltz tempo in Bossanova?



M: Jobim,Menescal and I have written some waltz tempo songs.. I think it
blends well with the the softness and sensuality of the Bossanova mood.
I have written at least 6 of them,and "Ele e Ela" is also one of my
favorites,because of the chords changes and the smooth melody.




Most of your songs are about love how love influenced your musical life .



M: I can´t understand the world without love,so my songs talk about it.Not
only love between 2 persons,but also love for your people,for all the
races,for the ones who need care.



What you think about mixing Bossanova with other styles like Funk or
Psychedelic sounds in the 70's or electronics today..




M:I love these experiments and mixings.They inspire and excite me.



How important were the traveling in North America for being in time with the
music , like you are already now.



M:Well,besides having my songs recorded there,my personal contacts were very
interesting.
I had good times touring with Sergio Mendes in the Sixties.
The success of my song "Summer Samba "in 67 took me to some of the most
important musical American TV shows;I had the chance to record then 2
albuns:one for Warner,named "Braziliance-The Music Of Marcos Valle" and one
for Verve:"Samba 68".I had a chance to meet important artists as Henry
Mancini,Quincy Jones,Johnny Mandel,Ron Carter and others.And from 75 until
80,when I stayed 5 years there,I met Sarah Vaughan,with whom I
recorded,besides having my songs recorded by her;the group Chicago also did
it;I had a chance to write many songs with Leon Ware,partner of Marvin Gaye
(Leon recorded many of our songs);I collaborate with Airto Moreira writing
the arrangements for his album "Touching You,Touching Me",and also had songs
recorded by my friend Deodato.



You wrote the Azymuth song that inspired Azymuth band , can you tell me
something about that soundtrack , i mean "O fabuloso Fittipaldi".


M: I had written the song "Azymuth",with my partner Novelli,in the 60s,for
the opening of a TV film,about racing driving.And recorded in the accoustic
piano myself. Then,years later 2 important movie makers,Roberto Farias and
Babenko decided to Make a film about the 2 times World Formula One Champion
Brazilian Racing Driver Fittipaldi,and they asked me to write the score; and
as they loved the song "Azimuth",they asked me if I could write a new
arrangement of that song for the opening of the film,which I agreed.To
record the soundtrack with me,the producer of the album decided to call 3
talented musicians: Jose Bertrami(Keyboards),Alex Malheiros(bass) and
Mamao(drums),and I playing the accoustic piano.
Bertrami and I wrote the arrangements together.We wrote a new arrangement
for "the song "Azymuth",but basically,my piano solo was the same,and I wrote
new songs for the rest of the film.
I could not put my name in the record as a performer,once I had a contract
with EMI,and this was being recorded in Phillips(Universal today).So,we had
to find a name for the performers.The producer thought about "Conjunto
Azymuth" ("Azymuth Band"),because of the opening song.I agreed.
After the record,those 3 musicians decided to stay together,and asked me if
they could use the name "Azymuth" for the band.I agreed,and I became the
"Godfather" of the group.And I really think they are probably the best
Brazilian instrumental band .



You collaborate with a lot of Brasilian musicians , wich collaboration were
the most important for you .



M: Joao Donato , Milton Nascimento , Edu Lobo , Menescal , Lulu Santos ,
Carlos Lyra , BossaCucaNova , Cidade Negra , are just some of them.




Its very difficult to find Marcos Valle original vinyls , the vinyls you
find are very expensive . what you think about this ?



M: I wished they were less expensive , so people who enjoy my music were
able to buy them.



Can you describe me the felling of Rio de Janeiro in the 60's .




M: It was very stimulating.I had my first song,entitled "Sonho de Maria",
recorded in 1963,by Tamba Trio.And a little bit after that,Os Cariocas
recorded 2 songs of mine,"Amor De Nada" and "Vamos Amar".And in 64,I signed
a contract to record to EMI for 5 years.
What was fantastic is that all the composers,musicians and singers use to
get together almost every week,in someone,s house,and I always wanted to get
there with a new song to show Jobim,Carlos Lyra,Menescal,and all the
others.So,I had to look for quality.I did not think in what would be
comercial,never.We just wished to write good songs.And that was the same for
film producers,plays,books,all kinds of art.The sixties were very creative.
Even when we had the military government,we were very productive.We had
problems with the censors,but did not give up.The lyrics started to change
to social and protest subjects.The meetings now were not only musical,but
also political,to discuss what we could do against the government.They
included all kind of art people.



When i listen to your 60's and 70's records i feel a kind of energy and
positive thinking about that period , it's Brasil changed today ?




M: As I say,I was very stimulated to do things and write a lot.
Today we have democracy,thanks God.Elections are free,we choose who we
want.But we still have the social problems.The population is much bigger,the
poverty also.We must fight that to find peace in our country.
We do not have anymore those weekly meetings,but I love to get together with
other composers of other generations,other music styles,and write songs with
them.That moves me.




What are you doing now , i know you are playing a lot in this period , can
you tell me something about your future projects?




M:I just came back from a great European tour,with my band,including 17
shows in different countries.
I Have recorded a new CD,all instrumental,with new and old
songs,produced,arranged and performed by me,playing the Rhodes,Accoustic
Piano,Guitar,Mellodica and keyboards,with my band,and have achieved the Tim
Award (the most important music award in Brasil) as the best instrumental CD
of the year.The CD was released in Europe,Japan and USA by Universal.
I will be perfoming 5 shows in Australia next January,in Sydney and
Melbourne Festivals,and in May I will start a new European tour.
And in Brasil,I will be perfoming a lot, also with my band .
And I will be recording a new record in 2007,I still do not know were.Let´s
see.

Marcos Valle

interview to Airto Moreira

This time I would like to propose a chat with one of the Jazz legends I always love because of his way to be a kind of a magical percussion player , a guru .And when i met him , my sensation was to talk to a Witchdoctor... I had the chance of hearing Airto play as a guest star for an Italian group and I thought about talking to him to find out a bit more about a side of him that is little known to the public. Airto Moreira is known above all for his collaborations with Miles Davis, Weather Report and many other Jazz musicians such as Chick Corea or John McLaughlin or Keith Jarrett or even Quincy Jones, Paul Simon, Chicago, Herbie Hancock etc.. In this brief discussion I wanted to focus on the Brazilian period before he went off to New York and met all of the above mentioned names that made him become somewhat of a legend. We also spoke of New York, it was inevitable!

I am very interested in your starting out period when you played in groups such as Sambalanco Trio in 1965 with Cesar Camargo Mariano on piano and Humberto Clayber on bass or with the Sambrasa Trio also in 1965 with Hermeto Pascoal where you played the drums and this trio was very different from the others because its sound was very innovative and very articulate, simple but creative at the same time.

It’s true, here also there was much space and we were very young and ambition was sky high, we had much space up until Cesar at a certain point decided to leave the Sambalanco Trio for a singer called Marisa. We asked him to stay but he was convinced and in love, he wanted to start producing records for Marisa and so he left. Speaking with Hermeto it came out that he really liked our sound and so we decided to ask him to join us. Hermeto joined up on the condition that we changed the name from the Sambalanco Trio to the Sambrasa Trio, we agreed and with his Flute playing the sound became even richer and new, that’s when Flora Purim began singing with us.

The record entitled “Quarteto Novo” in 1967 changed the face of Brazilian music. The sound was very pure, classic but innovative at the same time. That quartet didn’t last very long, what do you remember about that period?

It was a very happy period and musically deep, the group was riding high and everybody couldn’t wait to get into the studio and play, experiment and create. The lovely thing was that, once again, there was enough room for everybody’s creativeness.

Then, after that period, Flora Purim went to New York and you followed her some time after. How did two Brazilians feel in New York?

It was fantastic, it was like being in a film and we were a part of that film. I was 23 and had difficulties because I didn’t speak English. Then we began to meet musicians like JJ Johnson, Cedar Walton and the bass player Walter Booket, then thanks to Walter we began playing with Adderley, Lee Morgan and Paul Desmon as well as Zawinul who put me onto Davis.

There started something that everybody calls ‘Jazz Fusion’ and albums like “Free” and “Fingers” were the start of this sound. The mixture between the sound of Jazz musicians like Hubert Laws or Ron Carter from CTI along with your typical touch created this kind of new sound, how would you define it?

I would simply define it as ‘Brazilian Jazz’.

You have collaborated with many musicians as a percussionist but also as a producer, I would like to ask you something about one of your productions that is very dear to me: “Amazon” by Cal Tjader from 1976?

In the beginning it was very hard work, this record united typical Californian Latin jazz with Brazilian influences. We worked on the project for more than three weeks and the result was amazing, I remember well Cal, when I see the cover it still moves me a lot, it was a great time.

What future projects do you have, are you recording anything?

Flora and myself are continuously recording, we then propose the material to labels for its publication. At the moment I am starting a 3 week tour of Japan and USA with Chick Corea and Eddie Gomez.

Ray Barretto sadly passed away not too long ago, he was also a great percussionist, did you know him?

Yes I knew him, Ray was a brilliant percussionist as well as a great person, the last time I saw him was two years ago in Barbados where we were both there for playing, we crossed each others paths quickly and then I never saw him again.

As you have probably understood Airto, just like all of the others who I have had the pleasure of interviewing, is a very simple person. His way of being made you feel that you were talking to some kind of saint or Macumbero, an experience that once again enriched my Soul Beat spirit, I hope it did the same for you. Peace all over the land.

Interview to Azymuth

After long time i realize another of my dream , seen Azymuth play'n live.
As always i went there and i ask them " eu preciso de falar com vocè " they sayd " tudo bom !" and we had a chat ....
They were very kind to me more than the club owner ...
Heres what we talked that night ....


How have Azymuth changed from the times of "Samba Doido", "Crazy Samba", nightclub Caneçao, Youngsters, Milton Nascimento, Jorge Ben, Deodato, the music from the soundtrack "O Fabuloso Fittipaldi " in 1973 until now?

Now we have more maturity, we can make it different, our heart is open to the young generations and the new music... At the end the difference is the age and the head addiction! It's like a wine…

Your sound is always contemporary and authentic, what are your inspirations... We know that Bertrami worked with Flora Purim and Robertinho Silva: was this an inspiration for Azymuth?

In the beginning when we were young we were listening to a lot of Jazz Big Bands like Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington etc... Orchestras, a lot of Samba too: we put all this together, it was fantastic.

How important was the label Milestone for your success in America and Europe?
Milestone opened the Doors for the world, for the success, it was very important for Azymuth. We did many LPs with Milestones.

Which work of yours do you consider as your best one: Melo da Cuica, Light as a Feather, Azymuth, Partido novo or Telecomunication?
For me (Ivan Conti) our best work is Telecomunication, its a moment, you know, this album is a memorial time in the studio, very clear, we had the open heads, we talked, a lot of communication. We played everything perfect! This is our favourite one!

How important is the label Far Out for your modern sound?
Far Out brought the Band on the road again. This label is important because it gives us another kind of sound. Some years ago we were stopped for a few and we said "let’s get something new started" and Far Out brought the old Azymuth forward again.

What do you think about remixes producers like Jazzanova, Global Communications, Mark Pritchard, Kenny Dope and 4Hero?
Now I like it very much, in the beginning when I heard these remixes I was very excited but it was strange, we were not so ready to hear this kind of changes, we didn’t understand that at that time. Now we understandthat it’s is a new kind of idea and a new sound and we like it.

You have never stopped making music since 1972, always being up to date yet preserving your typical sound. What’s your secret?
The secret is the respect, the patience for each other, some time we fight, of course, but we always get the other way to create another sound... What’s important is the union and the respect for eachother’s opinions and ideas.

What do you think about the new Brazilian music explosion, DJ’s and producers like Marky, Patife, etc.?
There’s a lot of good music now and a lot of bad too!

One of my favourite tune is Manha from 1975, tell us something about that song.
Manha is good times! Everything fresh in our head, we were young, now we have to run like Forest Gump! Manha is a special time song, I like it too!

Azymuth

I will focus on just one group who, different to many others, have 2 not indifferent qualities: the first is that of always evolving during the 30 years of activity, maybe even creating, sounds that have become contemporary and, every time, innovative; the second, that appears to contradict the first, is that of always maintaining, whatever happened, their very own original sound. This group, formed in Rio during the 70’s, is called Azymuth. Reunited after many collaborations with various Brazilian musicians during the sixties, they were initially called ‘Grupo Selecao’, even if they also made a few recordings with the same line up under the name ‘Som Ambiente’. The definitive name came about officially in 1973 during the recording of the soundtrack ‘O Fabuloso Fittipaldi’ by the brothers Marcos and Paolo Sergio Valle, created for a documentary about the famous Formula 1 driver where, from the piece entitled “Azymuth” contained on this soundtrack, they took the name of which they are still identified even today. Ivan Conti ‘Mamão’ (drums and voice), Alex Malheiros (Baixo and voice) and Josè Roberto Bertrami (Teclados and voice) create a very typical sound that, breaking away from the classic Bossa Nova or even Samba from that period that they re-baptized ‘Crazy Rhythm’, was characterised by little instrumentation: and electric Rhodes piano and some synths, bass, drums and Brazilian percussion like the Ciuca, Berinbau or Tamburim that were used only on the first three records, in fact after a few years their percussionist died in an accident and after that they were never used any more, in memory to their friend to whom they were very close. Their true success in Brazil started in 1975 when the piece “Linha Do Horizonte” was used for a very famous soap opera then in 1976 they published another album and, in 1977, participated (the only Brazilian group to do so up until that moment) at the Montreaux Jazz Festival which opened the market to the European and American markets. In 1979, thanks also to the feedback obtained at the festival, they signed a contract with Milestone / Fantasy records (an historical American label that was used to signing up all those groups of a jazz flavour with tendencies towards Fusion or Jazz Funk) and the road was opened for their definitive consecration for Europe and America. “Light As A Feather” is the album that made them known to all and thanks to pieces like “Jazz Carnival” made them enter, apart from the dancefloors in places like Japan also, into the Guinness Book Of Records as the first Brazilian group programmed on the American radio stations for an entire year! In the eighties there followed other albums on which they changed formation and even labels, then, to follow, they went back to their original line up. Now, after thirty years and more than 15 albums, they celebrate this prestigious milestone with a European Tour that, In November, touched Italy also… In 1997 the English label Far Out, very in touch with the quality electronic and jazzy sounds, thought well of also having Azymuth as part of their stable alongside Marcos Valle (another giant of 60’s Brazilian music) for all those DJ’s and producers who are now lighting up our electronic nights by creating, at the end of the nineties together with their colleagues from Compost, this new Germanic or Anglo-Brazilian sound! There are many, in fact, collaborations that Azymuth have done or are currently doing with this new generation of producers because deep basses and 12 finger Rhodes chords has been part of their sound for years and they amalgamate perfectly to all these ‘nu productions’ and contribute towards the growth of this new sound. Those with 4 Hero, Seu Jorge and Natures Plan are just a few of these collaborations that we can define as ‘modern’ and if in them there maybe wasn’t the contribution of the ‘Crazy Sound’ of Azymuth we couldn’t begin to imagine what might have happened… The albums recorded on Far Out are “Before We Forget”, “Partido Novo” and the latest “Brazilian Soul” where Azymuth, to celebrate their thirty years, also involve high calibre musicians such as Roberto Menescal, Emilio Santiago, Marcio Lott, Fabiola, Ze Carlos and Leo Gandleman and where, in my opinion, the sound is truly incredible because it forges the ‘Brasileira’ soul with the sounds of today’s dancefloors, also the old generation with the new. Well, this focus on one of the most innovative groups on the Brazilian scene ends here: now, as always, over to you to begin searching! Peace.