Airto

• 4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Soul Jazz Records re-release Airto Moreira’s classic album Samba de Flora, out of print for 30 years ever since its original release in 1988. The impact of Airto Moreira in both the world of American jazz and in Brazilian music is unparalleled. At the start of the 1970s Airto was invited to join Miles Davis’ groundbreaking ‘electric’ group, which with albums such as the seminal Bitches Brew helping Davis regain his title from John Coltrane as the most important jazz artist of all time.

The album Samba de Flora, including the seminal jazz dance title track, is a masterpiece of jazz and Brazilian fusion and features Airto Moreira alongside Flora Purim, fellow Brazilian artist Raul de Souza and heavyweight USA jazz musicians Alphonso Johnson, percussionist Don Alias (from Stone Alliance), Cuban conga player Cachete and Argentinian pianist Jorge Dalto. The album was originally released on the small independent Montuno Record label (which was run out of the unassuming Record Mart record store situated in the Times Square underground subway station!) and has been unavailable for many, many years. This album is fully remastered and re-released by Soul Jazz Records for the first time ever, packaged in full original artwork.

PERSONNEL:

• Airto Moreira - (drums, percussion, vocals, flute)
• Flora Purim - (vocals)
• Alphonso Johnson - (bass)
• Giovanni Hidalgo - (bongos)
• Angel Cachete Maldonado - (congas)
• Laudir de Oliveira - (percussion)
• Jorge Dalto - (piano, keyboards)
• Joe Farrell - (piccolo flute)
• Kei Akagi - (synthesizer)
• Raul De Souza - (trombone)

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Parana
• A2. Samba De Flora
• A3. La Puerta
• A4. Dedos

• SIDE B
• B1. Yanah Amina
• B2. El Fiasco
• B3. Mulambo
• B4. Latin Woman