Producers into hip dance music have been drawing from Brazil’s rich rhythmic tradition for years. It’s a good idea to research where the fusion of traditional Brazilian folk music and Western electronica started and what the results of this fusion are. The concert series Brasil Electrico promises to be a revealing search leading from Deodato via Azymuth to Vinicius Cantuária. The trio Azymuth was formed in 1971 by pianist José Roberto Bertrami, bass player Alex Malheiros and drummer Ivan Conté. Ten years later they had their first big success with the world hit Jazz Carnival, a song that made hordes of American stars decide to travel to Brazil to dip their music into a trendy, exotic sauce. Today, Azymuth still makes an infectious blend of danceable jazz, funk and samba. Their albums are re-mixed by a.o. 4Hero and Jazzanova, who consider Azymuth one of their inspirations.
