Azymuth -

Azymuth are a Brazilian samba-jazz/funk trio from Rio, formed in 1971. They first appeared as “Conjunto Azimuth” on the 1973 O Fabuloso Fittipaldi soundtrack alongside Marcos Valle and Paulo Sérgio Valle. Under the name Azimüth, they released a self-titled EP on Polydor and an eponymous album on Som Livre, both in 1975. Their 1977 Atlantic release Águia não come Mosca premiered the canonical “Azymuth” spelling, as used on their subsequent albums for Milestone, Intima, and other labels from 1979-onward.

Members: José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Alex Malheiros (bass), Ivan Conti [aka “Mamão”] (drums)

Background

Azymuth had its roots in Projeto III, a bossa nova trio comprised of bassist Alex Malheiros, drummer Ivan Conti, and pianist José Roberto Bertrami. They released two albums on Equipe: O Trio (1968) and Encontro (1970). Under the name Apolo IV, the trio contributed “Azimuth (Mil Milhas)” to the soundtrack to the 1969 Brazilian telenovela Véu de Noiva, released on Philips.

Bertrami (credited on Encontro as Zé Roberto) hailed from Os Tatuís, which issued a singular, self-titled album in 1965 on Farroupilha. In 1966, he headed the José Roberto Trio for an eponymous album on said label. After Projeto III, he played on the live album Show Elis / Miele by singer Elis Regina. In 1972, he played on albums by Angelo Antonio, Carlos Lyra, Clara Nunes, Erasmo Carlos, and the third self-titled album by Tim Maia. On the last of those, Bertrami interacted with percussionist Ariovaldo Contesini.

Bertrami, Malheiros, and Conti regrouped as Alan and His Orchestra for the 1972 Polydor single “Concerto Para Um Verão = Concert for a Summer” (b/w “The Girl From Paramaribo”). As Som Ambiente, they cut an album of Latin jazz and easy listening covers for ‎ Companhia Industrial de Discos (CID). Cruzeiro Airlines commissioned the band for Fly Cruzeiro, a promotional LP of bossa covers recorded under the name Brazil by Music.

In 1973, the trio played on the album Eu Quero e Botar Meu Bloco Na Rua by singer/songwriter Sérgio Sampaio, produced by Raul Seixas. As Conjunto Azimuth, they backed Marcos Valle on the Philips soundtrack to the Brazilian racing movie O Fabuloso Fittipaldi.

During 1974, Bertrami, Malheiros, and Contesini played on the Top Tape release Ninguem Vai Me Segurar by Ana Mazzotti and the RCA debut by Helio Matheus. Concurrently, Bertrami appeared on the singular album by Jaime & Nair while Malheiros and Conti played on the soundtrack to Vila Sésamo, the Brazilian version of Sesame Street.

Bertrami, Malheiros, Conti, and Contesini coalesced as Azimüth and debuted with a 1975 EP on Polydor.

Azimüth (EP)

Azymuth released their self-titled debut EP, Azimüth, in 1975 on Polydor. The four-track 7-inch marked the group’s first standalone release under the Azimüth name.

The EP compresses the early four-piece lineup into four short titles built around José Roberto Bertrami, Alex Malheiros, and Ivan Conti, with Neném added on cuíca. Bertrami and Malheiros supply most of the writing, and the set already links the group to the TV-soundtrack circuit that widened its reach that same year.

A1. “Zombie” (3:14) — Bertrami
A2. “Melô Da Cuíca” [Cuíca Tune] (3:50) — Malheiros, Bertrami

B1. “Que é Que Você Vai Fazer Nesse Carnaval” [What Are You Going to Do This Carnival] (2:32) — Hélio Matheus, Bertrami
B2. “Tempos Atraz” [Times Past] (2:33) — Bertrami

Azimüth arranged the EP. Luigi Hoffer handled recording and mixing, Ary Carvalhaes and Luis Claudio covered recording, and Paulo “Chocolate” Sergio assisted.

TV Globo gave “Melô Da Cuíca” national exposure through Pecado Capital, where it served as the suspense and interval theme.

Azimüth

Azymuth released their self-titled debut album in May 1975 on Som Livre.

José Roberto Bertrami threads keyboards through Alex Malheiros’ bass and acoustic strings while Ivan Conti and Ariovaldo Contesini lock the rhythmic floor. João Américo adds guitar, and Márcio Lott joins the vocal passages. Across ten tracks, the album sets slower vocal pieces against tighter instrumental cuts and one longer closing stretch, with electric keyboards and hand percussion fixed at the center.

“Linha Do Horizonte” opens with long keyboard sustain and strummed acoustic guitar over a measured beat. “Melô Dos Dois Bicudos” cuts harder with cuíca, sharp synth calls, and drum accents. “Brazil” rides a round bass figure and lighter keyboard lines, while “Caça A Raposa” presses forward with denser low end, clipped vocal phrases, and a quicker snap. “Periscópio” extends the set past seven minutes and gives the group its broadest harmonic span.

A1. “Linha Do Horizonte” [Horizon Line] (4:29) — Paraná, Paulo Sérgio Valle
A2. “Melô Dos Dois Bicudos” [Tune of the Two Beaked Ones] (3:08) — Azymuth
A3. “Brazil” (3:58) — Azymuth
A4. “Faça De Conta” [Make Believe] (4:31) — Bertrami
A5. “Caça A Raposa” [Fox Hunt] (5:12) — Azymuth

B1. “Estrada Dos Deuses” [Road of the Gods] (3:41) — Azymuth
B2. “Esperando Minha Vez” [Waiting My Turn] (3:01) — T. Malheiros
B3. “Montreal City” (3:19) — Bertrami
B4. “Manhã” [Morning] (3:48) — Bertrami
B5. “Periscópio” [Periscope] (7:36) — Azymuth

Azymuth recorded Azimüth at Estúdio Haway in Rio de Janeiro between October 1974 and February 1975. The group produced the album, Ary Carvalhaes, Luigi Hoffer, and Luiz Claudio engineered, and Borrachinha, Jairo Gualberto, and Zé Guilherme assisted.

Som Livre issued the first Brazilian pressing as a gatefold LP in its Série Super Luxo line.

Rede Globo placed “Linha Do Horizonte” in Cuca Legal, which pushed the album into wider circulation. Far Out’s reissue notes state that the track reached 500,000 sales and the album reached 200,000.

Águia não come mosca

Azymuth released their second album, Águia não come mosca, in July 1977 on Atlantic in Brazil through WEA. It was also the first LP to carry the “Azymuth” spelling on the sleeve.

José Roberto Bertrami spreads Rhodes, organ, and synthesizer across Alex Malheiros’ bass figures and guitar replies. Ivan Conti drives the record with dry snare attack, hand percussion, and short vocal punctuations. Guest percussion, extra voices, and Paulo Moura’s soprano saxophone widen selected passages without breaking the trio core.

“Vôo Sobre O Horizonte” opens the sequence with the broadest sweep on side one. The title track cuts that breadth into a shorter form, and “Despertar” returns to the Malheiros-Bertrami writing pair. “Tarde” and “Circo Marimbondo” bring outside material into the program through songs by Márcio Borges and Milton Nascimento, then Milton Nascimento and Ronaldo Bastos. Side two turns toward percussion display on “Tamborim, Cuíca, Ganzá, Berimbau” and closes with the brief Mamão composition “Águia Negra X Dragão Negro.”

A1. “Vôo Sobre O Horizonte” [Flight Over the Horizon] (3:37) — Bertrami, Paraná
A2. “Águia Não Come Mosca” [The Eagle Doesn’t Eat Flies] (3:27) — Bertrami
A3. “Despertar” [Awakening] (3:53) — Malheiros, Bertrami
A4. “Tarde” [Afternoon] (5:27) — Márcio Borges, Milton Nascimento
A5. “Circo Marimbondo” [Wasp Circus] (2:27) — Milton Nascimento, Ronaldo Bastos

B1. “Tamborim, Cuíca, Ganzá, Berimbau” [Tamborim, Cuíca, Shaker, Berimbau] (4:49) — Malheiros, Bertrami
B2. “A Presa” [The Prey] (3:40) — Bertrami
B3. “A Caça” [The Hunt] (3:03) — Malheiros, Bertrami
B4. “Falcon Love Call (Armazém No. 2)” [Falcon Love Call (Warehouse No. 2)] (3:55) — Bertrami
B5. “Águia Negra X Dragão Negro” [Black Eagle x Black Dragon] (2:28) — Mamão

Azymuth recorded Águia não come mosca at Estúdio Level with producer Guti Carvalho. Andy P. Mills handled the recording, and Humberto Gatica handled engineering.

José Paulo directed the sleeve. Antonio Peticov supplied the cover illustration, and Gil Prates shot the back-cover photograph.

Atlantic issued “Vôo Sobre O Horizonte” (b/w “Tamborim, Cuíca, Ganza, Berimbaú”) as a Brazilian 7-inch in 1977. TV Globo also placed the track in Locomotivas, and that exposure helped push the album in Brazil. The LP then brought the trio to the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival, where Claude Nobs invited them after hearing this phase of the group.

Light as a Feather

Azymuth released Light as a Feather in November 1979 on Milestone. It opened the group’s Milestone run after the American tour that followed Montreux.

José Roberto Bertrami layers keyboards, percussion, vocals, and vocoder above Alex Malheiros’ fretless bass lines. Ivan Conti splits the attack between drums and ARP 2600 while Aleuda adds extra percussion. The record sets compact themes beside longer pieces and leaves more room for overdub detail, handclaps, and processed voice.

“Partido Alto” opens with a short, clipped statement. “Avenida Das Mangueiras” lengthens the line, and the title track carries the heaviest vocal processing on the LP. “Amazonia” lasts less than a minute, then yields to “Jazz Carnival,” which takes the longest span on the original issue. Side two cuts the scale back through “Young Embrace,” Toninho Horta’s “Dona Olimpia,” and Bertrami’s “This Exists.”

A1. “Partido Alto” [Partido Alto] (4:06) — Bertrami
A2. “Avenida Das Mangueiras” [Avenue of the Mango Trees] (4:25) — Bertrami
A3. “Light As A Feather” (6:46) — Flora Purim, Stanley Clarke
A4. “Fly Over The Horizon” [Vôo Sobre O Horizonte] (5:52) — Bertrami, Paraná
A5. “Amazonia” [Amazonia] (0:43) — Conti, Bertrami

B1. “Jazz Carnival” (9:29) — Malheiros, Conti, Bertrami
B2. “Young Embrace” [Um Abraço Da Mocidade] (3:19) — Bertrami
B3. “Dona Olimpia” (2:42) — Toninho Horta
B4. “This Exists” [Existe Isto] (4:32) — Bertrami

Azymuth recorded and mixed Light as a Feather at Studio Sonoviso in Rio de Janeiro with co-producer Joel B. Leibovitz and engineer Toninho Barbosa. David Turner mastered the album at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley.

Phil Carroll directed the sleeve, Jamie Putnam supplied the cover art, and the album carried a dedication to the memory of Silvio Caruso. Later expanded editions added “O Pescador,” which was not on the original LP.

Milestone issued “Jazz Carnival” (b/w “Fly Over The Horizon”) as a UK single in December 1979. It reached No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart in the week of January 26, 1980, and remained on the chart for eight weeks.

Outubro

Azymuth released Outubro in October 1980 on Milestone. It was the trio’s second album for the label and the set that carried “Dear Limmertz” into wider club circulation outside Brazil.

José Roberto Bertrami lays keyboards, percussion, and vocoder across Alex Malheiros’ bass and guitar figures while Ivan Conti shifts between drums, percussion, and ARP 2600. Aleuda adds extra percussion, and the album alternates short transitions with longer pieces, with the title track and “Un Amigo” leaning harder on voice treatment and keyboard color than the bass-led pull of “Dear Limmertz” and “Maracanã.”

“Papasong” opens the LP with brisk bass and percussion. Chick Corea’s “500 Miles High” is the first outside piece in the sequence. “Dear Limmertz” centers Malheiros’ slap-bass figure, “Un Amigo” places vocoder against Bertrami’s Rhodes line, and “Maracanã” rides Conti’s swing. The Milton Nascimento–Márcio Borges title track gives side two its broadest span.

A1. “Papasong” (4:35) — Malheiros
A2. “500 Miles High” (5:36) — Chick Corea, Neville Potter
A3. “Pantanal” [Swamp] (2:22) — Conti
A4. “Dear Limmertz” (4:31) — Bertrami
A5. “Carta Pro Airto” [Letter to Airto] (1:18) — Bertrami

B1. “Outubro” [October] (5:17) — Milton Nascimento, Márcio Borges
B2. “Maracanã” (5:35) — Bertrami
B3. “Un Amigo” [A Friend] (5:20) — Malheiros
B4. “Dear Limmertz Prelude” (1:09) — Bertrami

Azymuth recorded most of Outubro at Studio Sonoviso in Rio de Janeiro with co-producer Joel B. Leibovitz and engineer Toninho Barbosa. “Papasong” used Jardel Oliveira and Peninha-Pedro, “Maracanã” came from Transamérica Studios, and the album went to Fantasy Studios in Berkeley for remix work by Wally Buck, Danny Kopelson, and Leibovitz in July and August 1980.

Phil Carroll handled the art direction, Jim Wiseman supplied the video art, and Georgia Gillfillan designed the sleeve.

Milestone issued “Dear Limmertz” (b/w “Papasong”) as a UK 12-inch in 1980. The label also circulated “Maracanã” (b/w “Dear Limmertz”) as a US promo 12-inch that year.

Telecommunication

Azymuth released their fifth album, Telecommunication, in March 1982 on Milestone.

Bertrami works on keyboard, organ, vocoder, and percussion across Malheiros’ bass and acoustic-guitar lines while Conti fixes the pulse on drums and percussion. Hélio Delmiro’s guitar and Cidinho’s percussion widen several cuts, and the album favors long lines, light attack, and open harmonic space across seven tracks.

“Estreito De Tarumã” starts with a two-note bass figure, organ swell, and clean guitar line before a drum break. “What Price Samba” hangs vocal harmonies over long chords, “Country Road” rests on acoustic-guitar voicings and close ensemble singing, and “Last Summer in Rio” stretches past ten minutes with steady pulse, added percussion, and a Bertrami guitar bridge. “A Casa Em Que Vivi / Prelude” closes the album in two linked sections.

A1. “Estreito De Tarumã” [Tarumã Strait] (4:18) — Conti
A2. “What Price Samba” [Quanto Vale Um Samba] (6:15) — Bertrami
A3. “Country Road” [Chão De Terra] (3:30) — Malheiros
A4. “May I Have This Dance?” [Concede-Me Esta Dança?] (5:10) — Bertrami

B1. “Nothing Will Be As It Was” [Nada Será Como Antes] (3:08) — Milton Nascimento, René Vincent, Ronaldo Bastos
B2. “Last Summer In Rio” (10:45) — Bertrami
B3. “The House I Lived In / Prelude” [A Casa Em Que Vivi / Prelude] (5:51) — Bertrami

Azymuth recorded Telecommunication at Estúdio Transamérica in Rio de Janeiro in September 1981. José Roberto Bertrami produced it, Alex Malheiros co-produced, Claudio Farias, Lacy Enock, Rafael Azulay, Roberto Leite, and Wanderley Loureiro engineered it, Danny Kopelson remixed it, and George Horn mastered it at Fantasy Studios.

Phil Carroll handled the art direction, Jim Wiseman supplied the video art, and Georgia Gillfillan designed the sleeve. The back cover also carried a dedication to the house where the group lived in 1968 on Rua Laura Muller 16 in Rio.

Milestone paired “May I Have This Dance?” with Jeanie Tracy’s “I’m Your Jeanie” on a 1982 12-inch and also pushed “Last Summer in Rio” on a US promo 7-inch that year.

Cascades

Azymuth released their sixth album, Cascades, in December 1982 on Milestone.

Bertrami sets keyboards and vocals over Malheiros’ fretless bass and acoustic guitar while Conti holds the rhythmic floor on drums, percussion, and voice. José Carlos “Bigorna” adds flute, Carlinhos da Mocidade and Cidinho expand the percussion field, and Maurício Einhorn enters late in the program with harmonica.

“Club Morocco” opens with layered percussion, bass, and keyboard solo lines. “Cascade of the Seven Waterfalls” lowers the pressure with acoustic guitar, light syncopation, wordless voices, and keyboard haze. “Through the Window” shuffles on electronic percussion, rubbery bass, and flute, “Remembering Milton” hits harder with slap bass and denser keyboard motion, “Festa Nativa” packs the track with extra percussion, and “A Woman” turns toward harmonica before “Indian Pepper” closes with the sharpest snap on the LP.

A1. “Club Morocco” [Marrocos Clube] (4:17) — Malheiros, Bertrami
A2. “Cascade of the Seven Waterfalls” [Salto das Sete Quedas] (4:47) — Malheiros
A3. “Through the Window” [Entrando Pela Janela] (3:29) — Conti
A4. “Remembering Milton” [Lembrando Milton] (5:40) — Bertrami

B1. “Festa Nativa” [Native Festival] (5:22) — Bertrami
B2. “A Woman” [Uma Mulher] (5:10) — Bertrami
B3. “Indian Pepper” [Pimenta Malagueta] (5:36) — Malheiros

Azymuth recorded Cascades in August 1982 at Transamérica Studios in Rio de Janeiro. Alex Malheiros co-produced, Don Lewis handled recording, Danny Kopelson handled additional recording and remix, and Fantasy Studios in Berkeley handled additional recording, remix, and mastering. Phil Carroll handled the art direction.

Rapid Transit

Azymuth released Rapid Transit in 1983 on Milestone. It was the trio’s fifth Milestone album and the last before the paired run of Flame and Spectrum.

José Roberto Bertrami spreads keyboards, organ, percussion, bells, beraboi, and vocoder over Alex Malheiros’ electric bass, acoustic guitar, and percussion figures. Ivan Conti fixes the rhythmic base on drums and percussion, with José Carlos “Bigorna” adding flute on one cut and Sidney “Cidinho” Moreira entering on two. The seven-track set leans toward longer forms, with two side-long stretches on side one and shorter, more concentrated pieces on side two.

“Make Mine Guaraná” opens with clipped percussion and vocoder above a hard bass figure. “I’m Just Looking Around” sets Bertrami and Malheiros into a call-and-response opening, while “Somewhere in Brazil” pulls Malheiros’ acoustic guitar to the front. “Missing Dotô” strips the group to percussion and chant, and “Gate of Time” closes the album with acoustic instruments and a thin, suspended line.

A1. “Make Mine Guaraná (Só Bebo Guaraná, Mas)” [Make Mine Guaraná (I Only Drink Guaraná, But)] (8:39)
A2. “Afternoon (Tarde)” [Afternoon] (7:43)
A3. “Missing Dotô (Saudades do Dotô)” [Missing Dotô] (2:24)

B1. “Somewhere in Brazil (Em Algum Lugar do Brasil)” [Somewhere in Brazil] (6:13)
B2. “I’m Just Looking Around” (5:36)
B3. “Montreux” (3:41)
B4. “Gate of Time (Portal do Tempo)” [Gate of Time] (2:43)

Azymuth recorded Rapid Transit at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley and Transamérica Studios in Rio de Janeiro. Alex Malheiros produced it for Jazz Carnival Music Productions, Danny Kopelson handled the Fantasy sessions, and Wanderley Loureiro handled the Transamérica sessions. Phil Carroll handled the art direction.

Milestone issued “Make Mine Guaraná (Só Bebo Guaraná, Mas)” as a 12-inch single in 1983, and the track circulated quickly in club and radio columns that same year.

Flame

Azymuth released their eighth album, Flame, in 1984 on Milestone.

Bertrami stacks keyboards, organ, vocoder, and percussion over Malheiros’ bass and acoustic guitar while Conti drives the record on drums, percussion, and voice. The album spreads across seven tracks, with two longer side-closing pieces and a tighter run of shorter titles around them. That layout gives the record a broader vocal presence than several earlier Milestone sets, especially on the Flora Purim feature and the closing Marvin Gaye cover.

“The Prisoner” opens in the album’s longest span. “Tamal Vista Boulevard” and “Rapa Poeira” cut the scale down, then “The Textile Factory” brings Purim into the sequence. The title track draws from a Marcos Valle and Paulo Sérgio Valle song, “Right On” snaps the pace back into a shorter form, and “What’s Going On” closes the LP with Azymuth’s version of the 1971 Motown title.

A1. “The Prisoner” (8:43) — Bertrami
A2. “Tamal Vista Boulevard” (4:32) — Malheiros, Bertrami
A3. “Rapa Poeira” [Dust Sweeper] (4:36) — Conti

B1. “The Textile Factory (Fábrica de Tecidos)” [Textile Factory] (5:46) — Flora Purim, Malheiros
B2. “Flame (O Amor É Chama)” [Flame (Love Is Flame)] (8:32) — Marcos Valle, Paulo Sérgio Valle
B3. “Right On” (4:05) — Conti
B4. “What’s Going On” (5:26) — Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson

Azymuth recorded Flame at Estúdio Transamérica in Rio de Janeiro in March 1984 and mixed it at Fantasy Studios. José Roberto Bertrami produced the album, Alex Malheiros and Ivan Conti co-produced it, Danny Kopelson and Chico handled recording, Stephen Hart assisted on selected tracks, and George Horn directed mastering. Phil Carroll handled the art direction.

Spectrum

Azymuth released their ninth album, Spectrum, in 1985 on Milestone.

Bertrami keeps the keyboard and vocoder surface dense while Malheiros carries bass, acoustic guitar, vocals, and percussion across Conti’s drums, percussion, and repinique. Cidinho adds extra percussion, and Paulinho Olivera enters on flugelhorn on two cuts. The album trims the side lengths back from Flame and places more weight on concise themes, with the longer spans reserved for “All That Carnival” and the opening Marvin Gaye cover.

“What’s Going On” opens the record with the broadest line on side one. “Song of the Jet” resets the scale in under three minutes, and “Universal Prisoner” lowers the pressure before “Candomblé” closes the side. Side two stretches out on “All That Carnival,” then turns to Ivan Lins’ “The Island,” Malheiros’ “Areias,” and Conti’s “Turma do Samba.”

A1. “What’s Going On” (5:26) — Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson
A2. “Song of the Jet (Samba do Avião)” [Song of the Jet] (2:33) — Antônio Carlos Jobim, Eugene Lees
A3. “Universal Prisoner” (5:13) — Helen Lewis, Kay Lewis
A4. “Candomblé” (4:07) — Conti, Bertrami, Malheiros

B1. “All That Carnival” (7:55) — Bertrami, Malheiros
B2. “The Island (Começar de Novo)” [The Island (Starting Again)] (2:32) — Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Ivan Lins, Vítor Martins
B3. “Areias” [Sands] (3:23) — Malheiros
B4. “Turma do Samba” [Samba Crowd] (4:21) — Conti

Azymuth recorded Spectrum at Liminha Studios in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, in February and March 1985 and at Fantasy Studios in April and May 1985. The group mixed the album at Fantasy. José Roberto Bertrami produced it, Danny Kopelson handled the remix, and George Horn mastered it.

Phil Carroll handled the art direction, and Phil Bray supplied the photography.

Milestone issued “What’s Going On” as a 7-inch single in 1985, with the same track on both sides.

Tightrope Walker

Azymuth released their tenth album, Tightrope Walker, in 1986 on Milestone.

José Roberto Bertrami lays keyboards, acoustic piano, vocoder, and percussion across Alex Malheiros’ bass, acoustic-guitar, and vocal lines while Ivan Conti fixes the rhythmic base on drums and percussion. Paulinho Olivera adds flugelhorn, and Sidney “Cidinho” Moreira thickens selected passages with congas and percussion.

“Tu Mi Delirio” brings in César Portillo de la Luz’s songbook, “Pygmalion” revives Marcos Valle’s 1970 television theme, and “If You’d Like to Know” recasts Peter Pan’s older standard in bilingual form. Bertrami gives “Broken Key” a sharper rhythmic contour, Malheiros pulls acoustic guitar and wordless voice to the front on “The Other Side of the Coin,” and Conti signs both “Folklore” and the title track. “Samba da Barra” takes its name from Barra da Tijuca, where Bertrami lived at the time.

A1. “Tu Mi Delirio” (4:21) — César Portillo de la Luz
A2. “Broken Key” (5:51) — Bertrami
A3. “If You’d Like to Know (Se Queres Saber)” [If You’d Like to Know] (6:45) — Peter Pan
A4. “Folklore” (3:27) — Conti

B1. “Pygmalion” (5:19) — Marcos Valle
B2. “Tightrope Walker” (4:18) — Conti
B3. “The Other Side of the Coin (O Outro Lado da Moeda)” [The Other Side of the Coin] (4:19) — Malheiros
B4. “Samba da Barra” (5:09) — Bertrami

Azymuth recorded Tightrope Walker at Estúdios Rancho in Rio de Janeiro in April 1986 and at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley in May 1986. José Roberto Bertrami produced the album, Alex Malheiros and Ivan Conti co-produced it, Toninho Barbosa handled the Rio sessions, Danny Kopelson handled the Berkeley sessions and remix, and George Horn mastered the record at Fantasy.

Phil Carroll directed the sleeve, Phil Bray supplied the photography, and Señor Esdras handled production coordination.

Crazy Rhythm

Azymuth released their eleventh album, Crazy Rhythm, in 1988 on Milestone.

Bertrami threads piano and keyboards through Malheiros’ bass, acoustic-guitar, and vocal parts while Conti drives the set on drums, percussion, and voice. Joe Pass enters on two cuts, João Nogueira sings on one, Paulinho Olivera adds flugelhorn, and Zé Carlos Ramos widens the upper register with flute and soprano saxophone.

The album opens with Dave Brubeck’s “Bossa Nova U.S.A.” and later folds in João Gilberto’s “Hô-bá-lá-lá” and Johnny Alf and Maurício Einhorn’s “Diza.” “Tempo A Bessa” brings in João Nogueira, “Tropical Horizon” pairs Bertrami with Gomes, “O Pescador” returns to Bertrami alone, and “Theme for Tiago” hands a full title to Conti with Flavinho on acoustic guitar.

A1. “Bossa Nova U.S.A.” (2:39) — Dave Brubeck
A2. “Tóc De Bola” (5:36) — Malheiros
A3. “Too Much Time (Tempo A Bessa)” [Too Much Time] (4:12) — João Nogueira
A4. “Tropical Horizon” (7:17) — Gomes, Bertrami

B1. “Hô-bá-lá-lá” (5:20) — João Gilberto
B2. “O Pescador” [The Fisherman] (4:08) — Bertrami
B3. “Theme for Tiago” (5:02) — Conti
B4. “Diza” (6:39) — Johnny Alf, Maurício Einhorn

Azymuth recorded Crazy Rhythm with producer José Roberto Bertrami, engineer Toninho Barbosa, and remix engineer Danny Kopelson. Fantasy Studios handled mastering, and Tom Size contributed additional recording.

Jamie Putnam and Phil Carroll directed the art, and Putnam handled the cover artwork and design.

Carioca

Azymuth released their twelfth album, Carioca, in 1989 on Milestone.

José Roberto Bertrami anchors the record on piano and keyboards with Alex Malheiros on bass and guitar and Ivan Conti on drums and percussion. José Carlos Ramos adds flute and soprano saxophone, and two tracks substitute Paulo Russo and Jurim Moreira for the regular bass-and-drums team. That change gives Carioca a more segmented session layout than the earlier Milestone titles.

“Love Beat” opens the album and returns at the end as a short prelude. “Valsa de Uma Cidade” draws from Antônio Maria and Ismael Netto, “O Bloco do Eu Sozinho” pulls in Marcos Valle and Ruy Guerra, and “Beyond the Door” and “Labaredas” pair Bertrami with José Carlos Ramos. “Bom Tempo,” “Toque de Cuíca,” and “Guaratiba” keep the writing inside the group’s own catalog.

A1. “Love Beat” (4:22) — Bertrami
A2. “Valsa De Uma Cidade” [Waltz of a City] (5:30) — Antônio Maria, Ismael Netto
A3. “Beyond the Door” (5:21) — José Carlos Ramos, Bertrami
A4. “Bom Tempo” (3:04) — Malheiros

B1. “Labaredas” [Flames] (5:19) — Ramos, Bertrami
B2. “O Bloco Do Eu Sozinho” (3:09) — Marcos Valle, Ruy Guerra
B3. “Toque De Cuíca” (4:27) — Bertrami
B4. “Guaratiba” (3:10) — Bertrami
B5. “Love Beat Prelude” (1:34) — Bertrami

Azymuth recorded Carioca in Rio de Janeiro in November 1987 and December 1988. José Roberto Bertrami produced the album, Danny Kopelson handled the mix, and the final mix went to two-track digital on a Mitsubishi X-80 system. Phil Carroll directed the sleeve.

Tudo Bem

Azymuth released their thirteenth album, Tudo Bem, in 1989 on Intima. It was the first Azymuth album after José Roberto Bertrami’s departure and the first to feature keyboardist Jota Moraes beside Alex Malheiros and Ivan Conti.

Moraes reshapes the keyboard surface across Malheiros’ bass, guitar, and vocal parts and Conti’s drums, percussion, and vocals. Zizinho adds guest percussion on selected tracks, and the album places more sung material inside the program than several late-Milestone titles.

“Nariz” and “Seringal” come from Conti, while “Aquamarine” and “Moreninha” come from Malheiros. The middle run opens to outside material through “Deixa Isso P’ra Lá,” Inútil Paisagem, Chico Buarque’s “Brejo da Cruz,” and Stevie Wonder’s “Super Woman.” The sleeve also dedicates “Seringal” to Chico Mendes.

A1. “Nariz” [Nose] (4:23) — Conti
A2. “Aquamarine” (4:47) — Malheiros
A3. “Deixa Isso P’ra Lá” [Leave That Alone] (5:40) — Alberto Paz, Edson Alves Menezes
A4. “Inútil Paisagem” [Useless Landscape] (4:08) — Aloysio de Oliveira, Antônio Carlos Jobim

B1. “Makeka” (3:42) — Moraes
B2. “Brejo Da Cruz” (3:54) — Chico Buarque de Hollanda
B3. “Moreninha” (3:53) — Malheiros
B4. “Super Woman” (5:10) — Stevie Wonder
B5. “Seringal” [Rubber Plantation] (3:20) — Conti

Azymuth recorded Tudo Bem for Intima with engineer Vanderley Loureiro. Later digital issues added William Junior as digital engineer. Karen Johnston designed the sleeve.

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