1942

Born in Rio, daughter of a Russian immigrant who was an amateur violinist and pianist, she enjoyed singing and playing the piano and the guitar from a tender age, and was influenced by jazz singers Ella Fitzgerald e Sarah Vaughan. In the 1960’s, the singer used to hang out at the famous Bossa Nova nightclub Beco das Garrafas, in Rio de Janeiro. At that time, Purim recorded an album entitled "Flora MPM". In 1967, Purim moved to the U.S. to study music in California. Five years later she married Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira. Flora worked with Stan Getz and Gil Evans and was a member of the group Return to Forever, which successfully toured the States in the early seventies. In 1973, Purim started her solo career and released the album "Butterfly Dreams. Her greatest hits include "Light As A Feather" and "Return to Forever". In 1971, while living in the U.S., Purim was arrested for sale and possession of drugs. She appealed, but was sent to prison in 1974, doing time for 18 months and living 12 years on probation, forbidden to leave the country. Around that time, her case arose protests among musicians, and she was then elected by a pool of music critics as the best jazz singer in the U.S. for 4 consecutive years (from 1974 to 1977). In the seventies, she recorded with Carlos Santana, Hermeto Pascoal, Chick Corea among others, who were impressed with her vocal range and ability to improvise. In the 80s, she made a few solo records (most of them with her husband Airto Moreira) and in 1994, Purim released "Speed of Light".