Airto Moreira
Airto Moreira was born in Itaiopolis, Brazil, and raised in Curitiba and Sao 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. 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. Shortly after leaving Miles, Airto joined Joe Zawinul's new project, Weather Report and played percussion on their first album. His next project was yet another fusion landmark, playing with fellow Miles alumni Chick Corea's new band Return to Forever. He played drums on Return to Forever's first two albums, their self titled debut album and Light as a Feather. These albums are regarded today as classics of the fusion genre.
Airto has also played with many of the greatest names in Jazz including Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan, Paul Desmond, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, John McLaughlin, Keith Jarrett, Zakir Hussain and Mickey Hart. He also has played with symphonic orchestras and as a solo percussionist, and during live performances often includes a samba solo, where he emulates the sound of an entire band using just a single pandeiro. He frequently introduces himself to the audience with a lesson in pronouncing his name; "eye, ear, toe".
Among his many later projects, he played at the re-opening of the Library of Alexandria, Egypt, and he taught at UCLA and California Brazil Camp.
In addition to jazz concerts and recordings, he has regularly composed and contributed music to film and television, including scores for Apocalypse Now, and Last Tango in Paris.
Source Name: Airto Moreira wikipedia entry, rythmcommunity Airto Moreira profile
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