Although
Airto Moreira was never a jazz purist, most of his work has been jazz-oriented. From his years with
Chick Corea's first
Return to Forever lineup to his classic CTI dates of the 1970s to his work on wife
Flora Purim's albums, the Brazilian drummer/vocalist has been known for combining jazz with Brazilian music, rock, and funk. No one could ever accuse
Purim's husband of being someone who is only interested in showing the world how fast he can play
John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," but it is safe to say that most of
Moreira's work has been jazz-oriented even though it isn't straight-ahead bop.
Homeless, however, is a
Moreira project that has very little to do with jazz. This diverse, highly rhythmic CD draws on everything from pop, funk, hip-hop, and Afro-Brazilian tribal chanting to club and rave music, but jazz considerations aren't a priority. Although
Homeless isn't the least bit predictable, there is something that ties all the material together: rhythm. Whether
Moreira is embracing melodic Brazilian pop on the introspective "Wake Up Now" (which features his daughter, singer
Diana Moreira Booker), getting into Afro-Brazilian tribal sounds on "The Last One" and "Come As You Are" (which are all rhythm and no melody), or getting into a moody yet funky rave/trance groove on "Vira Poeira (Burning to Dust)," the common denominator is
Moreira's distinctively Brazilian sense of rhythm. The lead vocals are shared by
Moreira and
Booker; while
Moreira sings in Portuguese, his daughter handles the English lyrics. Not surprisingly,
Booker sounds somewhat like
Purim, although she does have an appealing delivery of her own. This likable, if a bit uneven, CD isn't among
Moreira's essential releases, but it's an intriguing addition to his catalog -- and he deserves credit for trying something a bit different. ~ Alex Henderson