Aurora

2011 release. Returning to their huge old school sound, Aurora celebrates 35 years of Azymuth as "arguably the most successful band to come out of Brazil". The signature samba doido is heavier than ever with a string of unforgettable tunes: from dancefloor fillers and lush jazz to hard, grooving samba funk and warped psychedelia. Together the original three piece Azymuth orchestra has made their strongest album since the seminal recordings Azimuth (1975) and 1979's Light As A Feather (FARO 170CD). Discover why musicians as diverse as Friendly Fires and Madlib are addicted to this innovative boogie monster. Aurora, the follow-up to 2008's Butterfly draws on the sound that was so synonymous with their work in the 1980s, mixing disco, jazz, funk, psych, and samba with their super style, playing, and improvisation. Together with producer Daniel Maunick and David Brinkworth (Harmonic 313), Azymuth recorded Aurora in Rio de Janeiro over a two week period. Opening the set is the cool, fresh title track "Aurora", which features Alex's daughter and fellow Far Out Recordings recording artist Sabrina Malheiros on vocals alongside Marcio Lott. "In My Treehouse" is an extremely personal track written by Jose Roberto Bertrami, which is influenced by his oak tree and dreams that recall his childhood playing in a tree house in his mother's hometown. "Isso É Partido Alto" encapsulates the sound of Azymuth, the focus on their signature groove, partido alto (one of the oldest traditional samba rhythms). "Diz No Pé" is a samba monster combining broken drumming with syncopated samba instrumentation, written by Ivan Conti. "Carnaval Legrand" is dedicated to one of Bertrami's peers - the great Franco-Armenian arranger and composer Michel Legrand - while "Meu Mengô" is inspired by Alex Malheiros's football team - Flamengo - another passion shared with his Azymuth bandmates.