Flora Purim

Flora Purim (born 1942) was born in Rio de Janeiro. She studeied piano and guitar, and then percussion with Airto Moreira. She released her debut album Flora e M.P.M in 1964. She and Moreira married and moved to New York in 1967, where she found work quickly, touring Europe with Stan Getz, and also working with Gil Evans. Both she and Moreira joined Chick Corea’s seminal fusion band, Return to Forever, in 1972. The following year, she released her second album Butterfly Dreams, featuring George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Joe Henderson and Airto. Through the 1970s, she also worked with Hugh Fattoruso’s Uruguayan band Opa, and released several more impressive albums on Milestone.

In the 1980s, she and Moreira were members of Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra, touring the world, and earning a Grammy for the 1989 Live at the Royal Festival Hall. In 1990 she guested on a nother Grammy Award-winning album, Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum. Purim continues to tour regularly with Airto.

Her vocal style is distintive – she has a six octave range, which she credits Hermeto Pascoal with helping her to develop. She often sings wordlessly as an instrumental member of any band.

Key Recordings:
Light As A Heather (Polydor 1973) with Return To Forever
Butterfly Dreams (Milestone 1973)
Encounter (Milesone 1977)