Airto's Gentle Swing Into the Late Seventies
A drummer content to let the groove breathe, making space for voices and strings to float.
By 1977, Airto Moreira had already logged serious time with Weather Report and Chick Corea, but I'm Fine, How Are You? finds him stepping back from fusion's intensity into something warmer and more conversational. The album didn't land with fanfare—it was a modest release that slipped past most critics at the time—but it holds up as one of his most relaxed and accessible records. Airto treats the drums less as a propulsive engine and more as a coloring instrument, letting vocal harmonies and string arrangements take the lead. Tracks move with the ease of someone who no longer has anything to prove, which is exactly their charm.
What makes this record distinct from his earlier work is its restraint. Instead of chasing rhythmic complexity, Airto builds grooves that leave room for air. The percussion sits underneath rather than on top, suggesting rather than declaring. There's a warmth to the production that feels almost domestic—this is a drummer playing for pleasure, not ambition. For listeners used to his fiery contributions to fusion settings, the shift might surprise you, but it's not a step down. It's a different conversation entirely.
This is a deep cut in Airto's catalog, not a cornerstone. If you're building a collection, start with his work on Weather Report (1971) or his earlier Columbia sessions. But if you already know that material and want to hear him in a gentler frame—surrounded by singers and strings, playing with the lightness of someone comfortable in his own skin—this album rewards the search.
