When I arrived in America at the end of 1967, my only purpose was to observe (for a couple of months) my idols, which were mostly instrumentalists. I wanted to play jazz, not sing it.
Flora PurimWell, I've heard a lot of people, but I think I would say a Brazilian musician named Hermeto Pascoal was one of my biggest influences. Through the years he mastered the keyboards. He use to play the organ Hammond B3, flute, saxophone, percussion and guitar. He is one of the most complete musicians that I ever met. Not too long after we came to the United States, Airto Moreira introduced him to Miles Davis, who recorded three of Hermeto's compositions on his album "Live Evil.
Flora Purim