FLORA PURIM – Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly | The Midnight Special (1976)

Flora Purim is a Brazilian jazz singer known primarily for her work in the jazz fusion style. Purim was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Jewish parents who were classical musicians. Her father Naum Purim played violin and her mother Rachel Vaisberg was a pianist. When her father was out of the house, her mother played jazz. She became prominent for her part in Return to Forever with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke. In 2002, Purim was the recipient of one of Brazil’s highest awards, the 2002 Ordem do Rio Branco for Lifetime Achievement. She has been called “The Queen of Brazilian Jazz”. She began her career in Brazil during the early 1960s. During this period, she made a recording titled “Flora e M.P.M.” in which she sang bossa nova standards of the day by Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal. Later in the 1960s, Purim was lead singer for the Quarteto Novo, led by Hermeto Pascoal and Airto Moreira.

Open Your Eyes You Can Fly is the fifth solo studio album by Brazilian jazz singer Flora Purim. It was released in 1976 via Milestone Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California. The album features contributions from Airto Moreira on percussion and vocals, David Amaro and Egberto Gismonti on guitars, George Duke on keyboards, Hermeto Pascoal on electric piano and flute, Alphonso Johnson and Ron Carter on bass, Robertinho Silva and Leon “Ndugu” Chancler on drums, and Laudir de Oliveira on congas. One of the songs featured here, Sometime Ago, was composed by Chick Corea with lyrics by Neville Potter and was featured on the eponymous album by Return to Forever produced in 1972, Flora Purim and her husband Airto Guimorvan Moreira also played on that album.

Janis Ian introduces a rare performance of Flora Purim on “The Midnight Special,” which aired on NBC on April 23, 1976.

Flute: Hermeto Pascoal Percussion: Airto Moreira Guitar: David Amaro Keyboards: Hugo Fattoruso Drums: Jorge Fattoruso Bass: Ringo Thielmann Vocals: Bonnie Bowden

Never be afraid to love Never be afraid to just be Catch the way & change the doubt Have a courage to be free Don?t gaud your eyes with others lies See only what You wanna? see Duplicate the simple truth Have a courage to be free

Open Your eyes, you can fly Open Your eyes, you can fly You can fly You can fly

Never be afraid to love Never be afraid to just be Catch the way & change the doubt Have a courage to be free Don?t gaud your eyes with others lies See only what You want to see Just duplicate the simple truth And have a courage to be free

Open Your eyes, you can fly Open Your eyes, you can fly You can fly You can fly

Oooooo, mhmmm hey eh he

Open Your eyes, you can fly Open Your eyes, you can fly You can fly ,yeah You can fly ,yeah

Oh ooo yeaaaaaaah Oh ooo yeaaaaaaah

Never be afraid to love Oh ooooo