Jazz Is Dead with Azymuth, Doug Carn and Gary Bartz Coming to VMP

Album: Azymuth JID 004 Artists: Azymuth, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad

After the founding keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami passed in 2012, Azymuth’s remaining members Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ivan “Mamão” Conti (drums) continued the trio’s legacy, enlisting Kiko Continentinho to resume the band’s unrivaled suave sound.

Tapping Azymuth for the fourth installment of the Jazz Is Dead series, Younge and Shaheed Muhammad plunge into the intersection where Brazilian jazz, funk and samba meet, surfacing with an album that embodies the terms smooth and sultry. It’s an affair that, according to Shaheed Muhammad, only exposes a part of what Azymuth is able to accomplish with their decades of experience.

“Saying it was an honor and pleasure to make an album with Azymuth is a huge understatement,” Shaheed Muhammad said. “To the crate diggers of the jazz and hip-hop kind, Azymuth’s music is very important. They are the soulful jazz side of Brazil with a dash of psychedelic blended in and a whole lot more. They are incredibly talented giants walking amongst us and they are very humble.”

BUY JID004 HERE

Album: Doug Carn JID005 Artists: Doug Carn, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad

The fifth album of the Jazz Is Dead series cuts through the noise and mainstream with organist Doug Carn carrying the nostalgic currents of ’70s funk and hip-hop, distinctive of his roots. Younge and Shaheed Muhammed’s places on the album amplify the polished jazz, and the artists paint a rich picture of late nights poised under urban lights.

Shaheed Muhammad shared, “If you grew up in the ’70s, then you know exactly how consequential [Doug Carn’s] art is. There are so many levels to this and time is never enough to unfold it, but Adrian and I were blessed to spend a twinkle of time with the honorable Doug Carn. We recorded an album that bridges to dimensions seemingly familiar but yet uncharted and raw.”

BUY JID005 HERE

Album: Gary Bartz JID006 Artists: Gary Bartz, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Gary Bartz’s 60-year career across progressive Black music as an alto saxophonist made him a clear collaborator when Younge and Shaheed Muhammad branched into the series’ sixth album. Bartz submerges his sound within multiple genres of jazz, untethered by the limitations of the concept of genre itself. Apparent across JID006, the three flow through the songs, unbothered by the world beyond the music as it welcomes listeners into an immersive environment.

Younge shared, “Working with Gary Bartz epitomizes the ethos behind Jazz Is Dead. He’s a luminary that has contributed so much to music culture, for decades. His musical ability is expanding with age and we’re honored to be a part of his world.”

BUY JID006 HERE

**Be sure to stay on the lookout for future exclusives dropping as a part of VMP’s Jazz Is Dead featured series collection. **