VTech and Mochilla are bringing you another installment to their  monumental concert series, a landmark in Los Angeles music history, with Timeless III.

Get ready to experience the cosmic vibes of none other than, ARTHUR VEROCAI. The legendary Brasilian producer/composer will be on stage this Sunday, March 15th, 2009, at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex. He’ll be performing his 1972 self-titled album in its entirety with a 36 piece orchestra featuring percussionist Airto Moreira, Ivan “Mamao” Conti and Jose Roberto Bertrami from Azymuth, and Carlos Dafé (the original singer on Verocai’s 1972 album).

Here’s a closer look at the supporting cast:

Ivan “Mamao” Conti and Jose Roberto Bertrami of AZYMUTH

Ivan "Mamao" Conti of Azymuth

Jose Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth

Azymuth is a three-piece electric funk jazz group from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Formed in 1972, the group is comprised of Jose Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Alex Malheiros (bass,guitar), and Ivan “Mamao” Conti (drums, percussion). They’re known for their particular style of music called “Samba Doido”, which means “Crazy Samba”.

The group started out in the early 70’s as Grupo Seleçao, a cover band. In 1973, they switched to the name Azymuth, inspired by a Marcos & Paulo Sergio Valle song. Their first album of the same name, was released two years later and featured the hit “Linha do Horizonte”. In 1976, they recorded other minor hits like the single “Melo da Cuica“. From 1979-1989, they released many albums for Milestone Records, including their 1979 hit, “Jazz Carnival”.

Recently, many of Azymuth’s songs have undergone a series of remixes from various artists and musicians.

Ivan “Mamao” Conti and hip hop musician Madlib released an album in 2008, as Jackson Conti, titled Sujinho.

Jose Roberto Bertrami has recorded at least six albums under his own helm.

Percussionist Airto Moreira

Airto Moreira

Airto Moreira was born in 1941 in the small village of Itaiopolis – south Brasil, and was raised in Curitiba. Even before he could walk he would start shaking and banging on the floor every time the radio played a hot song. This worried his mother, but his grandmother recognized his potential and encouraged him to express himself. By the time he was six years old he had won many music contests by singing and playing percussion. The city gave him his own radio program every Saturday afternoon. At thirteen he became a professional musician, playing percussion, drums, and singing in local dance bands. He moved to Sao Paulo at the age of sixteen and performed regularly in nightclubs and television as a percussionist, drummer and singer.

In 1965 he met the singer Flora Purim in Rio de Janeiro. Flora moved to the USA in 1967 and Airto followed her shortly after. When in New York Airto began playing with musicians such as Reggie Workman, JJ Johnson, Cedar Walton and bassist Walter Booker. It was through Booker that Airto began playing with the greats – Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan, Paul Desmond and Joe Zawinul,
to name a few. Zawignul recommended Airto to Miles Davis for a recording session in 1970 for the “Bitches Brew” album. Davis then invited Airto to join his group, which included such jazz icons as Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea and later John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett. He remained with Miles for two years, and appears on such releases as “Live/Evil”, “Live at the Fillmore”, “On the Corner”, “The Isle of Wight”, “Bitches Brew” and later releases including the “Fillmore Sessions”.

Following his stint with Miles Davis, Airto was invited to form the original Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Miroslav Vitous and Alphonse Mouzon with whom he recorded “The Weather Report”. Soon after, he joined Chick Corea’s original Return to Forever group with Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Stanley Clarke and they recorded the albums, “Return to Forever” and “Light as a Feather”.

Airto remains one of popular music’s most in demand percussionists. His collection of instruments, along with his knack for playing the right sound at the right moment, has made him the first choice of many producers and bandleaders. His work with Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Gil Evans, Gato Barbieri, Michael Brecker, The Crusaders, Chicago, and many others including contributions to movie sound tracks such as The Exorcist, Last Tango in Paris, King of the Gypsies and Apocalypse Now, represents only a small number of the musical contributions Airto has made over the last three decades.

His impact was so powerful that Downbeat magazine added the category of percussion to its readers and critic’s polls, which he has won over twenty times since 1973. In the past few years he was voted number one percussionist by Jazz Times, Modern Drummer, Drum Magazine, Jazzizz Magazine, Jazz Central Station’s Global Jazz Poll on the Internet, as well as in many European, Latin American and Asian publications.

Singer Carlos Dafé

Carlos Dafé

Carlos Dafé was born into a family of musicians in Rio de Janeiro. He learned how to play the cavaquinho, mandolin and accordion with his father. Later, he studied the piano and the bass. In the 1960s, he started out as a vocalist in nightclubs in Rio and São Paulo. In the 70s he added soul music elements to his songs, as heard on the album “Venha Matar Saudades” (1978, with Banda Black Rio). He was established as one of the most important names in Brazilian soul music, along with Tim Maia, Cassiano and Gerson King Kombo.

Sunday, March 15th, 2009
7-11pm / All Ages / $22.50 Limited Presale / $32.50 After
*Presale Tickets Available @www.ticketmaster.com and
The Luckman Box Office +1 323 343 6600
(Please keep in mind that these are assigned seating events – in order to sit together you MUST purchase your tickets together – to view seating chart please go http://luckmanarts.org/seatingchart.php)
*Presale + early arrival is STRONGLY suggested*

Harriet and Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex
Cal State University Los Angeles
5151 State University Drive. Los Angeles. 90032