Fourth World – Airto Moreira, Flora Purim & Jose Neto

FOURTH WORLD - THE MELT2000 YEARS

Executive Producer: Robert Trunz

Fourth World toured consistently in the U.S., Europe, South America, Russia and the Far East, gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting contemporary bands in the 1990s. Perhaps the most unique vocal talent for many decades, Flora Purim is the musical role model of a generation of jazz singers, although few can match the Brazilian diva's astonishing range or come close to reaching the simple beauty, ethereal quality and sensuality that Flora brings to her music. She sings lyrically but also sometimes wordlessly, blending her voice (often aided by electronics) with other instruments to produce one of the most haunting and distinctive sounds in modern music. Married to the shamanic percussionist, Airto Moreira.

Airto worked with Miles Davis during the Bitches Brew era. His leadership in the fusion genre (Weather Report, Return to Forever) placed Airto in the forefront of percussionists worldwide. Airto’s effect was so powerful that in 1972 Downbeat Magazine added a “percussion” category to its readers’ and critics’ polls, and Airto has been voted ‘best’ in that category almost ever since. Winner of the 1996 Drum Magazine Award for best percussion and Jazz Central Station’s 1996 Best Percussionist Award, Airto keeps on winning fans worldwide. His formidable expertise in Brazilian cultures and percussion instruments make Airto’s performances both educational and electrifying.

Flora and Jose Neto performed with him as a member of  Fourth World. Earlier recordings of Fourth World included Sax player Gary Meek. Later albums on MELT2000 featured Gary Brown. Gary is the son of a jazz trumpeter and was brought up with music, playing in Bay Area jazz clubs with his dad and two brothers from the age of 11. He went on to form various bands of his own and to develop his talent as a skilful and versatile bassist. An impressive list of credits over the past decade includes gigs with Toninho Horta, Michael Shrieve, Ernie Watts, Joan Baez, Kit Walker, Bud Shank and Dori Caymmi, among others. In 1992, Windham Hill released a Gary Brown solo project which included such artists as Lyle Mays (Pat Metheny Group), William Kennedy (Yellow Jackets), Paul McAndles (Oreagon) and was produced by Steve Rodby (Pat Metheny Group).
Gary was a member of the Marcos Silva group (Concord recording artists) as well as one quarter of a powerful pop group called Pray For Rain, who may be familiar from the soundtracks of movies like Sid & Nancy, Straight To Hell and The Linguini Incident. Pray For Rain also score TV movies and feature films including the latest Alex Cox vehicle, The Winner, and Boy Called Hate. For the past couple of years, Gary has been a member of Fourth World with Airto, Flora and Jose Neto. He appears on the live CD, Encounters Of The Fourth World(BW045) and as a member of the Neto Band on In Memory of Thunder(BW056). Gary also played on Madala Kunene's album, Kon'ko Man(BW058).

Luis Avellar was born on April 7, 1956, and started playing classical piano at the age of 6. He studied orchestration at the Mannes School of Music in New York before returning to his native Brazil at the age of 21 to start his career at Rede Globo de Televisao as a musician, arranger and producer for different soap operas. As a pianist and arranger, Luis has worked with some of the most popular musicians in Brazil including Djavan, Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento, and Simone. He's played instrumental music with Victor Assis Brasil, Helio Delrino, Mario Montarroyos, Nico Assunpcao, Ricardo Silveira, Wayne Shorter, Larry Coryell, Phil Wood, Toots Thielemans and Billy Cobham. As a solo artist, Luis has recorded five albums paying tribute to Brazilian composers and two more albums produced by Almir Chediak called 'Bons Amigos' (Good Friends), where he was accompanied by various big names in Brazilian music such as Hermeto Pascoal, Arthur Maia, Carlos Bala, Claudio Infante, Helio Delmiro, Paulo Moura, Paulo Russo, Raul de Souza, Ricardo Silveira, Robertinho Silva, Jorge Elder and Ana Zinger.

Widor Santiago started his musical studies at the age of 7 with his father, who plays the saxophone, as his tutor. During this early period he was invited to join the Music Band of Anapolis, the city where he was born, and stayed with the band until the age of 14. Then he joined a quartet that played private parties all over Brazil.
 Widor moved to Brasilia, where he formed a group called Quattuor Jazz and became well known by jazz fans. In 1983 he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where his knowledge of a range of musical styles made him a very popular session musician, recording with such names as Marcio Montarroyos, Rique Pantoja, Marcos Resende, Sivuca, Victor Biglione, Fafa de Belem, Rosana Roberto Carlos, and Nelson Goncalves. His live credentials include performances with popular musicians including Erasmo Carlos, Leo Jaime, Djavan, and Cazuza.
 Widor initiated numerous new instrumental bands, such as Banda Retoque, Banda Piramide, Don Heres, Alfredo Dias Gomes,and the Nico Assunpcao Quartet. In 1989 he moved to Los Angeles and formed a new quartet. He's also played with the group Azimuth, the Brasil Brasil Band (Latin and Brazilian music) and the Vellas Group USA (jazz fusion). Over the past three years, Widor has dedicated himself to instrumental jazz and is generally considered to be one of the best saxophone players around.