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Nothing Will Be As It Was - Tomorrow (1977)
Flora Purim

Artist's Website: https://www.florapurim.com/

User Rating: 4 / 5 [ Add Your Rating ]


Name:  Juergen Martens <dj.martens@t-online.de>
Rating:  4 / 5
Comments:  There was a time when every jazz/fusion musician of some rank seemed to feel obliged to adopt an African/Indian/Mysterian alias – Mahavishnu, Mwandishi, Narada, Devadip, Pepe Mtoto, you name them. Which brings us to ”Dawili Gonga“ - yep, even a down-to earth fellow like George Duke went ethnic in those days - took, together with the ever admirable Patrice Rushen, keyboard duties on this 1977 record, produced by Leon Chancler, er, NDUGU of course. Brazilian singer Flara Purim, who got famous in the Jazz world as member of Chick Corea’s original Return To Forever lineup, was looking back at quite some bumpy career by then which included doing time for a dubious drug posession charge. ”Nothing Will Be...“ should have gotten her the attention of a wider audience, leaking more into the soul/pop field with contributions e.g. by Earth, Wind and Fire guitarist Al McKay. But you can really hear that this is not her cup of tea - her voice sometimes doesn’t know where it goes and she’s not all to comfortable in the English language, too. BUT: What makes this record a must have is ”Corre Nina“, where co-producer (and husband) Airto Moreira brings in his buddies from Uruguay, the Fottorusos a.k.a. OPA for one single track. This rendition here surpasses the original from OPA’s 1976 debut ”Goldenwings” (see my review there) by far – suddenly, Flora sings like all ties have fallen off of her, and Hugo Fattoruso lets his Rhodes and the Arps fly while the rhythm section cooks on all burners. A KILLER track! ”Nothing Will Be As It Was - Tomorrow“ is available only as expensive Japanese audiophile remaster these days. You’ve got to decide yourself if you want to spend that dough for a collection of well produced, nice fusion-pop with brazilian flair with that one extra bonus or not. I did, and it was worth it.