Airto Moreira on Cannonball:
"Cannonball (Adderley) was my sponsor in the United States.
When it was time for Flora (Purim) and I to get our papers, to become "legals,” we asked Cannonball if he could sponsor us. He said "sure, let me sign your papers."
I remember Cannon's manager at the time didn't like it at all and his brother (Nat) didn't like it at all. They talked to him and said, "don't do that, don't sign it. You are going to be sorry. Nobody knows who these people are and if they decide they don't want to play anymore you are still going to have to fulfill that part of the contract."
He (Cannon) said, "well, I trust them. They are nice people and they need help so I'm going to do it" and he did it.
What he signed for us was a contract for four years and the contract said we would make "X" amount of money from being in his band for 4 years.
That helped us a lot in order for us to get our papers. If it wasn't for that we would have been deported.
I admire him a lot for that and his playing. He was a very, very nice person to everybody. When people saw him they wanted to talk with him. He was very much into having a good relationship with the people. He's my hero....."
By Airto Moreira
"Cannonball (Adderley) was my sponsor in the United States.
When it was time for Flora (Purim) and I to get our papers, to become "legals,” we asked Cannonball if he could sponsor us. He said "sure, let me sign your papers."
I remember Cannon's manager at the time didn't like it at all and his brother (Nat) didn't like it at all. They talked to him and said, "don't do that, don't sign it. You are going to be sorry. Nobody knows who these people are and if they decide they don't want to play anymore you are still going to have to fulfill that part of the contract."
He (Cannon) said, "well, I trust them. They are nice people and they need help so I'm going to do it" and he did it.
What he signed for us was a contract for four years and the contract said we would make "X" amount of money from being in his band for 4 years.
That helped us a lot in order for us to get our papers. If it wasn't for that we would have been deported.
I admire him a lot for that and his playing. He was a very, very nice person to everybody. When people saw him they wanted to talk with him. He was very much into having a good relationship with the people. He's my hero....."
By Airto Moreira