Airto Moreira

Airto Moreira was born in Itaiópolis, Brazil, into a family of folk healers, and raised in Curitiba and São Paulo. Moreira showed talent for music at a young age and became a professional musician at age 13! He was noticed first as a member of the samba jazz pioneers Sambalanço Trio and for his landmark recording was Quarteto Novo with Hermeto Pascoal in 1967. Shortly after, he followed his wife Flora Purim (jazz singer) to the United States. Their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer and now they reside in Los Angeles.

Airto is the most high-profile percussionist of the 1970s and still among the most famous, Airto Moreira 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.

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 (1970).

 Airto Moreira is the percussionist in this recording:

•   Miles Davis – trumpet

•   Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone

•   Bennie Maupin – bass clarinet

•   Joe Zawinul – electric piano – Left

•   Chick Corea – electric piano – Right

•   John McLaughlin – electric guitar

•   Dave Holland – electric bass

•   Billy Cobham – drum set – Left

•   Jack DeJohnette – drum set – Right

Airto Moreira – percussion and cuica

Despite its kinetic electric drive, "Pharaoh's Dance" is primitive in nature. The scales used bring to mind Africa more than Egypt. The tune is jungle-like, in fact. Each individual voice becomes lost in the dense underbrush of rhythmic activity. The traditional solo sections are eschewed. When a musician is briefly featured he stays within the borders of the camp. In an ensemble creation such as this, it is difficult to say who is playing off whom. It just becomes a huge organic creation. Even though no one stands out, it is obvious that a repetoire is being developed. This collective creation is the sonic equivalent of trying to put a square peg into a round hole. You just try to squeeze it in even though you know you can't. It is that conundrum that makes it all so exciting.