His impact was so powerful that Downbeat magazine added the category of percussion to its readers and critic¹s polls, which he has won over twenty times since 1973. Airto's work with Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Gil Evans, Gato Barbieri, Michael Brecker, The Crusaders, Chicago, and many others including contributions to movie sound tracks such as The Exorcist, Last Tango in Paris, King of the Gypsies and Apocalypse Now, represents only a small number of the musical contributions he has made over the last three decades. Since then they have performed constantly all over the world and recorded their own album for major record companies in Europe and America. In 1974 Airto formed 'Fingers' with Flora Purim. Soon after, he joined Chick Corea¹s original Return to Forever group with Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Stanley Clarke and they recorded the albums, 'Return to Forever' and 'Light as a Feather'. Following his stint with Miles Davis, Airto was invited to form the original Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Miroslav Vitous and Alphonse Mouzon with whom he recorded 'The Weather Report'. Davis then invited Airto to join his group, which included such jazz icons as Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Jack De Johnette, Chick Corea and later John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett.

Joe Zawinul recommended Airto to Miles Davis for a recording session in 1970 for the 'Bitches Brew' album. When in New York Airto began playing with musicians such as Reggie Workman, JJ Johnson, Cedar Walton and bassist Walter Booker. Flora moved to the USA in 1967 and Airto followed her shortly after. In 1965 he met the singer Flora Purim in Rio de Janeiro. Airto was born in 1941 in the small village of Itaiopolis - south Brasil, and was raised in Curitiba. debut on the Miles Davis classic BITCHES BREW, Airto went on to perform with many jazz greats including Stan Getz and Lee Morgan and became of founding members of the pioneering fusion groups Weather Report and Return To Forever. One of the most high-profile percussionists of the 1970s and still among the most famous, Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira helped make percussion an essential part of modern jazz.

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