Azymuth

Azymuth are one of Brazil's most influential bands having released over 20 albums throughout their career.

Combining funk, soul and jazz with Samba, Azymuth started their individual careers in the 1960s in Rio, living in the same bohemian block in Copacabana and playing in small bars as session musicians.
Keys player and bandleader Bertrami had noticed how great the late Ivan Conti 'Mamao' was as a drummer, and how fantastic Alex Malheiros was with his new electric bass, and invited them to record with him: their first piece of work together was under the name Group Projeto 3 in 1968.
It was the early 1970s before they really began to cause a stir. Marcos Valle invited them to record on a soundtrack LP in tribute to the great Brazilian Formula 1 racing driver Emerson Fittipaldi (O Fabuloso Fittipaldi). After the success of the record in Brazil they asked Marcos if they could use the name of one of the tracks ('Azimuth') from the EP as their name and the rest is history!