Hermeto Pascoal is a prominent Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. His compositions appear on albums by Miles Davis and other jazz heavyweights.
He was born in 1936 in Lagoa da Canoa, a small town in northeastern Brazil. His reputation in Brazil is the result of a varied career. As a juvenile, he learned to play the flute, appearing on a multitude of occasions. When his family moved to Recife in 1950 he spent the following six years as an accordion player for radio stations, ending as the director of a complete orchestra. Pascoal then moved on to Rio, stunned by the possibilities and musical opportunities arising for him.
In 1964, he joined Airto Moreira in a group called Trio Sambraza. Two years later, again with Airto, a first record was released in Brazil with the Quarteto Novo. When in 1969 the group broke up and Airto Moreira left for the United States to play with Miles Davis, Hermeto stayed behind.
Pascoals’ international career began two years later. Airto called him to arrange his productions in New York. Miles Davis, who was fascinated by Pascoal’s music, gave him room for two compositions of his own on the album Live Evil. In the same year, 1972, Hermeto Pascoal’s first album was released. Titled Hermeto, it featured Flora Purim, Airto Moreira and Ron Carter.
Due to the recognition Pascoal received in the United States, the Brazilian record industry’s interest grew rapidly. In 1973, he released an album called A Musica Livre De Hermeto Pascoal. It was due to his innovative power, his restlessness, his search for unconventional musical instruments: bottles, stones, water splashing, and almost everything else that could create sounds; that people started calling him “Bruxo”, the wizard.
His masterpiece, a milestone in the Brazilian music world, was the album Slaves Mass, released in 1977. Many other releases followed after this breakthrough.
His influence on Brazilian music extends well beyond his own remarkable output as a writer and multi-instrumentalist. As the father-figure for avant-garde Brazilian Jazz, Pascoal’s pioneering music has prepped a generation of musicians who are now having a great deal to say about the direction of the American music scene.
Airto, had this to say about his mentor: “He is the most complete musician I ever met in my life. I consider him almost a genius.“
Pascoal plays flutes, keyboards, guitar, water percussion, and bass with equal facility; and reads, writes and arranges without the benefit of any formal training.
In 2024, Pascoal received the WOMEX 24 Artist Award. The WOMEX press release commended him for inspiring world-jazz and beyond, both in Brazil and internationally.
Discography:
Conjunto Som 4, with Conjunto Som 4 (1961)
Em Som Maior, with Sambrasa Trio (1966)
Quarteto Novo, with Quarteto Novo (1967)
Brazilian Octopus, with Brazilian Octopus (1969)
Hermeto Pascoal, reissued on CD as Brazilian Adventure (1970)
A música livre de Hermeto Pascoal (Sinter, 1973)
Slaves Mass (Warner Bros. Records, 1976)
Trindade (1977)
Zabumbê-bum-á (Warner Bros. Records, 1979)
Ao vivo Montreux Jazz Festival (Atlantic, 1979)
Nova história da Música Popular Brasileira, compilation (1979)
Cérebro magnético (Atlantic, 1980)
Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo (1982)
Lagoa da Canoa, Município de Arapiraca (Happy Hour Music, 1984)
Brasil Universo (1986)
Só não toca quem não quer (Intuition, 1987)
Hermeto solo) por diferentes caminhos (Som Da Gente, 1988)
Festa dos deuses (1992)
Instrumental no CCBB, with Renato Borghetti (Tom Brasil, 1993)
Música! o melhor da música de Hermeto Pascoal, compilation (1998)
Eu e eles (Rádio Mec, 1999)
Mundo verde esperança (2002)
Chimarrão com rapadura, with Aline Morena (2006)
Bodas de Latão, with Aline Morena (2010)
The Monash Sessions (Jazzhead, 2013)
No Mundo dos Sons (SESC SP, 2017)
Viajando com o som (Far Out Recordings, 2017)
Natureza Universal (2017)
Palmares Fantasy (Far Out Recordings, 2018)
E Sua Visão Original Do Forró (Scubidu Music, 2018)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Updated biography.