Airto Moreira, born on 5 August 1941 in Itaiopolis, Brazil and widely recognized as that country’s foremost percussionist, had already established his reputation through sideman work alongside jazz figures Chick Corea and Miles Davis when he assembled Fourth World toward the end of the 1980s. The project marked his deliberate return to the regional Brazilian traditions he first encountered while growing up in Curitiba, Paraná State. Prior to relocating to the United States in 1968, he had performed with several bossa nova ensembles, among them Sambalanco Trio and Quarteto Novo. The lineup also featured his longtime partner, vocalist Flora Purim (born 6 March 1942 in Rio de Janeiro), guitarist José Neto (born 1954 in São Paulo), and multi-instrumentalist Gary Meek on keyboards, flute, and saxophone, with occasional appearances by the couple’s daughter, Diana Moreira. Neto’s primary role as musical director for Harry Belafonte restricted the group’s touring schedule, yet in August 1992 the ensemble journeyed to England for a five-week residency split between Ronnie Scott’s clubs in London and Birmingham. Material captured during those performances formed the basis of Fourth World’s self-titled debut album, released the same year and the first in a series of evocative worldbeat recordings that appeared throughout the decade.
