Artist Profile
Aza RootsAza Roots is a borderless trio where Taiwan, Japan, and Brazil sing in unison -- melding echoes of Taiwan's Indigenous music, Brazilian grooves, Japanese traditional songs, and improvisation into a soulful new sound.
At the heart of their music lies a living creole of languages and memories. Lyrics flow between Japanese, Atayal (an Indigenous Taiwanese language), Taiwanese Mandarin, and Portuguese -- creating a sound that is both rooted and free.
The trio consists of:
- Eri Liao (Taipei, Taiwan) -- a genre-defying vocalist with Atayal and Japanese heritage, known for her work in jazz, minyo (Japanese folk), and improvisation. She has appeared at Seoul Music Week and the International Jew's Harp Festival. Her solo EP Maalan Kunyan (2025, MIDI) reimagines ancestral memory through intimate soundscapes.
- Marcelo Kimura (São Paulo, Brazil) -- a guitarist and composer who blends refined harmony with grounded Brazilian rhythm. A prolific solo artist, he has written music for television and major international events such as Expo 2025 Osaka (Brazil Pavilion). As a longtime guitarist for Sadao Watanabe, Marcelo brings clarity, depth, and rhythmic vitality to every stage.
- Falcon (Hiroshima, Japan) -- a boundary-pushing guitarist and composer whose expressive acoustic sound ranges from subtle textures to wild effects. A longtime collaborator of legendary vocalist Carmen Maki, he also composes for dance and theater productions across Japan, including works at major arts festivals. His music explores movement, space, and emotion through sound.
Aza means "wing" in Portuguese. Like aerial roots reaching between earth and sky, the group's music crosses borders--cultural, linguistic, and emotional.
Their debut album Aza Roots (2025) is a multilingual, genre-blurring celebration of heritage, rhythm, and imagination.
Grow Deep, Fly High.
Aza Roots offers a radiant new vision of world music--rooted, resonant, and ready for flight.
Genre: World, Bossa NovaOrigin: TokyoStart Year: 2025
MEMBER
Eri LiaoRole: Lyricist, Composer, Vocals, Background Vocals, Co-producer
Marcelo KimuraRole: Lyricist, Composer, Recording Engineer, Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals, Co-producer
FalconRole: Lyricist, Composer, Co-producer, Guitar, Background Vocals
EFM Records