If you've never heard Flora's voice, listen. It is the sound of the ocean, sand and the sky melting together on the canvas of your mind. It not only moves, it motivates new emotions, heretofore unrealized. Spiritual food for the mind. And her music - it makes you dance, whether it is quiet or loud, slow or fast. It would be silly to label her music because it is so many things but unique in its synthesis. Listening to either of her two new albums will bring aspects of jazz, soul, funk and hip-hop to your ears. You'll hear Indian ragas filtered through a flamenco sensibility and the sounds of Latin America, from the tip of Argentina to Cuba and New York. Always present is Mother Africa, the source of all the rhythms that feed our souls.
Do you want to know more? Album number one of the year is Speed of Light on the B&W label. Speed of Light, with songs like "Light as My Flo" and "What You See" (recently remixed by top UK junglist A Guy Called Gerald), is Flora's first venture into programmed beats and samples. On the jazz side of things, the project is full of stellar musicianship, including Airto Moreira, Billy Cobham, Freddie Santiago, Giovanni Hidalgo and Changuito.
Flora's second album of the year, also on B&W, is a live recording of her group Fourth World, entitled Encounters of the Fourth World. The sound sculpted by the band is pure passion incarnate. The best word to describe it is organic. Layers of sound, moving and shifting. A more rhythmic and "world"-ly take on spaces first explored by Coltrane.
I caught Fourth World live in New York City on the Brazilian Independence day, at Flora's urging. The first set they played on stage was identical to the new CD. Although many might dismiss it as one too many Xango, it was the most spiritual and coextensive musical experience I had in a long time. The inspired rhythmic structure set up by Airto and guitarist Jose Neto got people on their feet and Flora's voice sent them soaring.
