Welcome to the country's first Public Conservatory of Music
                            "Preservation through Music Education"

   

About Airto Moreira

Born in 1941 in a small Brazilian village, Airto has been performing professionally since the age of 13. He has been advancing the cause of world and percussion music as a member of the "Planet Drum" percussion ensemble, with Mickey Hart, drummer for "The Grateful Dead", and master conga player Giovanni Hidalgo and tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, along with Flora Purim, Babatunde Olatunji, Sikiru Adepoju and Vikku Vinayakram. Planet Drum won a Grammy Award in 1991 for World Music. Airto also contributed to another Grammy Award winning ensemble, "Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra", which received the award for Best Live Jazz Album.

In 1965 he met the singer Flora Purim in Rio de Janeiro. Flora moved to the USA in 1967 and Airto followed her shortly after. When in New York Airto began playing with musicians such as Reggie Workman, JJ Johnson, Cedar Walton and bassist Walter Booker. It was through Booker that Airto began playing with the greats - Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan, Paul Desmond and Joe Zawinul, to name a few. Zawinul recommended Airto to Miles Davis for a recording session in 1970 for the "Bitches Brew" album. Davis then invited Airto to join his group, which included such jazz icons as Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea and later John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett. He remained with Miles for two years, and appears on such releases as "Live/Evil", "Live at the Fillmore", "On the Corner", "The Isle of Wight", "Bitches Brew" and later releases including the "Fillmore Sessions". Following his stint with Miles Davis, Airto was invited to form the original Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Miroslav Vitous and Alphonse Mouzon with whom he recorded "The Weather Report". Soon after, he joined Chick Corea's original Return to Forever group with Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Stanley Clarke and they recorded the albums, "Return to Forever" and "Light as a Feather".

His impact has been so powerful that Downbeat magazine added the category of percussion to its readers and critic's polls, which he has won over twenty times since 1973. He has been voted number one percussionist by Jazz Times, Modern Drummer, Drum Magazine, Jazzizz Magazine, Jazz Central Station's Global Jazz Poll on the Internet, as well as in many European, Latin American and Asian publications.

Read Airto Moreira's full bio at:www.airto.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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The Spirit of Percussion is geared toward understanding and harnessing the spirit of percussion through the exploration of traditional Afro-Brazilian rhythm, song and culture.

Participants will learn about the spirit of percussion and how to channel it hands-on, into the sounds and rhythms they create. They will also study the way this energy is connected with the musicians and how to manipulate the universal energy.

The styles of Airto's teachings are extremely diverse. The levels of his workshops range from "simple beginner" through "highly advanced," The Spirit of Percussion workshops are for everyone: from kids to adults. It is fun and interactive.

Bring your own instrument so you can jam with Airto!

Don't have your own percussion instrument? OPC will have some instruments available for use by workshop participants.

COST: Early bird special
(by May 5) $28
After May 5 - $35
OPC students $17
12 & under - Free

Group rates available
(call for info)

Limited number of work-exchange scholarships available
(call for info)


Space is limited so reserve
yours now by
sending a check or money order payable to "OPCMusic" to:

Oakland Public Conservatory of Music
1616 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94612
attn: AIRTO MASTER CLASS

Purchase online at brownpapertickets.com


For more information call
(510) 836-4649, ext.112
events@opcmusic.org




 

 

 

 

 

  


 

 

 

 

 

 


 

     

 

*Proceeds of NTC Series go to the OPCMusic Scholarship fund. No charge 12 & under (must be accompanied by adult)

1616 Franklin Street
Oakland, California 94612
510.836.4649

 


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