Representative Albums: "Free," "Killer Bees," "The Best of Airto"
Representative Songs: "Flora's Song," "Creek (Arroio)," "Tombo in 7/4"
Biography
The most high-profile percussionist of the 1970s and still among the most famous, Airto Moreira (often simply known by his first name) helped make percussion an essential part of many modern jazz groups; his tambourine solos can border on the amazing. Airto originally studied guitar and piano before becoming a percussionist. He played locally in Brazil, collected and studied over 120 different percussion instruments, and in 1968 moved to the U.S. with his wife, singer Flora Purim. Airto played with Miles Davis during part of 1969-1970, appearing on several records (most notably Live Evil). He worked with Lee Morgan for a bit in 1971, was an original member of Weather Report, and in 1972 was part of Chick Corea's initial version of Return to Forever with Flora Purim; he and Corea also recorded the classic Captain Marvel with Stan Getz. By 1973, Airto was famous enough to have his own group, which was signed to CTI and appeared on Purim's sessions. Since then, he has stayed busy, mostly co-leading bands with his wife and recording as a leader for many labels, including Buddah, CTI, Arista, Warner Bros., Caroline, Rykodisc, In & Out, and B&W. Not all of his music as a leader would be called jazz, but Airto remains a very impressive player. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Airto Moreira (born August 5, 1941)[1] is a Brazilianjazz drummer and percussionist. Airto is married to jazz singer Flora Purim, and their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer.[1] He currently resides in Los Angeles.
Airto Moreira was born in Itaiopolis, Brazil, into a family of folk healers, and raised in Curitiba and São Paulo. Showing an extraordinary talent for music at a young age, he became a professional musician at age 13, and his first landmark recording was Quarteto Novo with Hermeto Pascoal in 1967. [1] Shortly after, he followed his wife Flora Purim to the United States.
After moving to the USA, Airto began playing regularly with jazz musicians in New York, including the bassist Walter Booker. Through Booker, Airto began playing with Joe Zawinul, who in turn introduced him to Miles Davis. At this time Miles was experimenting with electronic instruments and rock and funk rhythms, a form which would soon come to be called Jazz fusion. Airto was to participate in several of the most important projects of this emerging musical form. Airto stayed with Miles for about two years, touring and participating in the creation of the seminal fusion recording Bitches Brew[2]. Shortly after leaving Miles, Airto joined other Miles alumni Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Miroslav Vitous in their group Weather Report, playing percussion on their first album, Weather Report. He left Weather Report (replaced by Muruga Booker for their Sweetnighter album) to join fellow Miles alumnus Chick Corea's new band Return to Forever. He played drums on Return to Forever's first two albums, their Return to Forever and Light as a Feather. These albums are regarded today as classics of the fusion genre.
Airto was a contributor to many of Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart's world music / percussion albums in Rykodisc's The World collection, including The Apocalypse Now Sessions, Dafos, Supralingua, and Planet Drum.[1]
In addition to jazz concerts and recordings, he has composed and contributed music to film and television (including scores for Apocalypse Now and Last Tango in Paris), played at the re-opening of the Library of Alexandria, Egypt[3] (along with fellow professor of ethnomusicology Halim El-Dabh[4]), and taught at UCLA and the California Brazil Camp.
Awards
Airto was voted the number one percussionist in “Down Beat Magazine's Critics Poll” for the years 1975 through 1982 and most recently in 1993[5].
In September 2002, Brazil’s President Fernando Henrique Cardoso named Airto Moreira and Flora Purim to the “Order of Rio Branco”, one of Brazil's highest honors.
1988: Samba De FloraMontuno - Purim, Johnson, Angel Maldonado, Bruce Bigenho, David Tolegian, Dom Camardella, Alias, Colon, Hidalgo, Eliot, Jill Avery, Farrell, Dalto, Akagi, Jones, Nass, de Oliveira, Luiz Munoz, Michael Shapiro, Jose, Randy Tico, de Souza, Roland Bautista, Rolando Gingras and Moreno
