Azymuth are still going today, which is great. Set up in 1973, they play a funky Jazz which takes a lot of inspiration from the musical styles of their native Brazil, particularly Samba.
They have said that their music is “MPB-jazz” or “Samba Doido”, which mean Popular Brazilian Music Jazz and Crazy Samba respectively.
It definitely isn’t just Bossa Nova. Azymuth’s style is a particularly Latin Jazz-Funk.
“Jazz Carnival” was a hit in the U.K., having been made in the U.S.A., where the group did a lot of their recordings. It reached number 19 on the U.K. Singles Chart.
The song is very disco flavoured, with a bouncing, elastic bassline rolling the beat forward. The drums are disco drums, but there’s a noticeable Latin feeling to the percussion.
The keyboards are on fine form, alternating between loud Rhodes jamming and some more serene electronic Jazzy noodling.
It dances on for almost 10 minutes, but isn’t one of those songs that outstays its welcome. Once you’re in the groove, the time flies by!
The track is practically begging for a Todd Terje remix, and has indeed been remixed in 2012.
“Jazz Carnival” was released in 1979 on the Light As A Feather Album.
Brilliant!