Azymuth - Águia Não Come Mosca (1977 Japanese Atlantic Vinyl LP)

Vinyl: EX
Sleeve: EX
Obi: None

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Azymuth - Águia Não Come Mosca | Vinyl LP - 1977 Japanese Atlantic (P-10512A, Warner-Pioneer Corporation)

Azymuth formed in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1970s as a trio of multi-instrumentalists: José Roberto Bertrami on keyboards and vocals, Alexandre Malheiros on bass, guitar and vocals, and Ivan "Mamão" Conti on drums, percussion and vocals. They called their music "samba doido" — crazy samba — and by the time they recorded Águia Não Come Mosca in 1977, the third of their albums for Atlantic Brazil, the sound was fully formed: Fender Rhodes and synthesiser built on top of a live percussion foundation, Brazilian folk rhythms pushed through jazz harmony and electric funk arrangement.

The album's title translates as "an eagle doesn't eat flies" — a Brazilian expression for not wasting attention on small things. The ten tracks across the record demonstrate the range of what that meant in practice. "Vôo Sobre O Horizonte" opens with acoustic guitar and voice before the full band enters. The title track, "Águia Não Come Mosca," features Paulo Moura on soprano saxophone — the only guest appearance on the session. "Tamborim, Cuíca, Ganzá, Berimbau" pulls back to a percussion-centred samba-funk, the instrumentation listed as the track title. "Falcon Love Call (Armazém No. 2)" moves into synthesiser boogie; the closing "Águia Negra X Dragão Negro" is pure high-tempo batucada, the horns and keyboards cleared away to leave rhythm alone.

Later rated among the top 100 Brazilian albums of all time by Brazilian DJ and critic Ed Motta it is among the most sought-after Azymuth pressings by international collectors. This is the 1977 Japanese Atlantic pressing, manufactured by Warner-Pioneer Corporation.