Flora Purim If You Will

One of the all-time greats of Brazilian Jazz-Fusion, Flora Purim, returns with her first studio album in over 15 years, ‘If You Will’. This album is a triumphant celebration, exploring new compositions alongside fresh versions of some of Flora’s favourite songs. Title track ‘If You Will’ revives her past collaborations with producer and long-time friend, the legendary George Duke.

Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, the legendary King and Queen of Brazilian Jazz, have captivated audiences for over six decades with their vibrant albums and exhilarating live performances. With a dedicated global fan base including the UK’s jazz funk and jazz dance scene to Japan’s concert halls, the power couple continues to make waves in the industry – Flora’s ‘If You Will’ (2022) album was even nominated for a Grammy!

This Fusion gem puts one of the most underated vocalist together with a few 70's fusion heavyweights and out comes a very enjoyable recording. George Duke, Alphonso Johnson, Airto and friends put out some of the hippest fusion in the 70' & 80's. Flora uses their musical abilities to the max on "That's What She Said." Using a variety of wordless vocal technics layered over electric keyboards and driving rhythms, these songs capture the fun and freedom that fusion later lost as it grew more commercial. Flora's entire catalog is ripe with music like this.

Rhino repackaged and re-released five George Duke LPs on Warner Bros. – Snapshot, Illusions, Is Love Enough?, After Hours, and Cool – as a slipcased box set. It's not a bad way to acquire the albums if you don't already own them, but isn't recommended for the casual fan.

Cool collection of 70s music from pop to rock - timeless classics. And all this in the highest sound quality!

Light and breezy, pure and easy, that’s how I spent most of last week, and this album was a great soundtrack for it. Osmar Milito is an interesting figure in Brazilian jazz, having a hand in the famous Canecão club in Rio and playing with the likes of Sylvia Telles, Leny Andrade, and Flora Purim early in his career, and later on doing lots of soundtrack work for those venerable Brazilian exports, telenovelas. His post-bossa nova records are collectible for a reason: they’re damn good listening. Milito does the general arrangements and provides his groovy acoustic and electric piano stylings on a variety of tunes, many of which will be familiar to regular visitors to this blog. It opens with Jimmy Webb’s hit for the 5th Dimension, “Up Up and Away” aka “Beautiful Balloon” which sets the dreamy, laid-back tone right away.