Airto Moreira

Born in Brazil and a musical spiritual healer by faith, Airto Moreira is widely hailed as one of the world's greatest percussionists. Having collected and mastered over 120 percussion instruments, Airto has channelled his remarkable rhythmic diversity into a volcanic, full-bodied sound fueled by the enigmatic energy of experience and ignited by instrumental improvisation.

For 25 years he has consistently topped the percussion category of readers and critics polls in such magazines as Down Beat, JazzTimes and Modern Drummer. With 18 solo albums under his belt and an enormous array of collaborations with various virtuosos such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Paul Simon, Carlos Santana and Mickey Hart—to name but a few—Airto has been changing the face of modern jazz worldwide. His experiences and travels have provided a palette laden with rich colours and textures for him to draw from, enabling him to effortlessly blend musical styles from around the world. —Courtesy Calabash Music