Although Airto Moreira was never a jazz purist, most of his work has been jazz-oriented. From his years with Chick Corea's first Return to Forever lineup to his classic CTI dates of the 1970s to his work on wife Flora Purim's albums, the Brazilian drummer/vocalist has been known for combining jazz with Brazilian music, rock, and funk. No one could ever accuse Purim's husband of being someone who is only interested in showing the world how fast he can play John Coltrane's Giant Steps, but it is safe to say that most of Moreira's work has been jazz-oriented even though it isn't straight-ahead bop. Homeless, however, is a Moreira project that has very little to do with jazz. This diverse, highly rhythmic CD draws on everything from pop, funk, hip-hop, and Afro-Brazilian tribal chanting to club and rave music, but jazz considerations aren't a priority. Although Homeless isn't the least bit predictable, there is something that ties all the material together: rhythm. Whether Moreira is embracing melodic Brazilian pop on the introspective Wake Up Now (which features his daughter, singer Diana Moreira Booker), getting into Afro-Brazilian tribal sounds on The Last One and Come As You Are (which are all rhythm and no melody), or getting into a moody yet funky rave/trance groove on Vira Poeira (Burning to Dust), the common denominator is Moreira's distinctively Brazilian sense of rhythm. The lead vocals are shared by Moreira and Booker; while Moreira sings in Portuguese, his daughter handles the English lyrics. Not surprisingly, Booker sounds somewhat like Purim, although she does have an appealing delivery of her own. This likable, if a bit uneven, CD isn't among Moreira's essential releases, but it's an intriguing addition to his catalog -- and he deserves credit for trying something a bit different. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi

1		Vira Poeira (Turn to Dust)
2		Come as You Are
3		700 Years
4		After These Messages
5		Street Vendors (D'Jmbo)
6		Wake up Now
7		Homeless (Around the Fire)
8		Samba 4 Sale
9		Ginga Sem Fronteira
10		The Last One

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