Hermeto Pascoal

Origin

Lagoa da Canoa, AL

Also known as

O Bruxo

Years Active

1950

Genres

brazilian jazz, avant-garde, experimental, MPB, instrumental, forró

Instruments

accordion, piano, flute, saxophone, percussion, keyboards, trumpet

Biography

Hermeto Pascoal, widely celebrated as \"O Bruxo\" (The Sorcerer), was a visionary multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger who redefined the boundaries of Brazilian music. Born in the rural interior of Alagoas, his albinism and partial blindness led him to develop an extraordinary sensitivity to the sounds of nature, which became the foundation of his \"Universal Music\" philosophy. He began his career playing the accordion in regional festivals before moving to Recife, where he was mentored by the legendary Sivuca.

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Pascoal became a central figure in the evolution of Brazilian instrumental music. He was a founding member of the influential Quarteto Novo, alongside Airto Moreira and Heraldo do Monte, which blended northeastern rhythms with sophisticated jazz harmonies. His international acclaim grew after collaborating with Miles Davis and performing a legendary, spontaneous set with Elis Regina at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival. Pascoal was famous for his unconventional orchestration, often incorporating teapots, water, and even animal sounds into his compositions.

In his later years, Pascoal continued to innovate through projects like the \"Calendário do Som,\" a massive undertaking where he composed a new piece of music for every day of the year. He remained a staunch advocate for musical freedom, eventually making much of his vast catalog available for free to encourage new recordings. His legacy is carried on by his long-time collaborators and family members, including his son Fábio Pascoal, leaving an indelible mark on the global avant-garde and jazz scenes.

Discography

• Hermeto (1970)
• A Música Livre de Hermeto Paschoal (1973)
• Slaves Mass (1977)
• Zabumbê-bum-á (1978)
• Ao Vivo Montreux Jazz (1979)
• Ao Vivo (1979)
• Cérebro Magnético (1980)
• Elis Regina com Hermeto Pascoal – 13th Montreux Jazz Festival (1982)
• Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo (1982)
• Lagoa da Canoa Município de Arapiraca (1984)
• Só Não Toca Quem Não Quer (1987)
• Hermeto Solo - Por Diferentes Caminhos (1988)
• Brasil Universo (1988)
• Daniel Guggenheim Group & Special Guest Hermeto Pascoal – "Strange Beauty" (1992)
• Festa dos Deuses (1992)
• Renato Borghetti e Hermeto Pascoal (1993)
• Pau Brasil / Hermeto Pascoal – Brasil Musical (1995)
• Grandes Mestres da MPB (1997)
• Música! o Melhor da Música de Hermeto Pascoal (1998)
• Eu e Eles (1999)
• H. Villa Lobos / O. Lorenzo Fernandez / Ney Rosauro / H. Pascoal - Grupo de Percussão da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – Grupo de Percussão da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (1999)
• Hermeto Pascoal, Sebastião Tapajós, Gilson Peranzzetta – Solos do Brasil (2000)
• The Legendary Improviser (2001)
• Mundo Verde Esperança (2003)
• Hermeto Pascoal & Aline Morena – Chimarrão com Rapadura (2006)
• Hermeto Pascoal & Aline Morena – Bodas de Latão (2010)
• Vintena Brasileira Participação Especial Hermeto Pascoal – Labirinto (2011)
• Dose Dupla Hermeto Pascoal (2011)
• The Monash Sessions (2013)
• Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo Vice Versa – Viajando com o Som (The Lost '76 Vice-Versa Studio Session) (2017)
• Itiberê Zwarg & UMO Feat. Hermeto Pascoal – Universal Music Orchestra (2017)
• Natureza Universal (2017)
• No Mundo dos Sons - Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo (2017)
• Sean Khan Featuring Hermeto Pascoal – Palmares Fantasy (2018)
• Hermeto Pascoal e Sua Visão Original do Forró (2018)
• María Toro Feat. Hermeto Pascoal – Araras (2018)
• The Norwegian Wind Ensemble | Steffen Schorn | Hermeto Pascoal | Marcio Bahia | Roger Hanschel – Hermeto’s Universe (2020)
• Erika Ribeiro - Sofia Gubaidúlina, Hermeto Pascoal, Ígor Stravinsky – Erika Ribeiro (2021)
• Planetário da Gávea (2022)
• Pra você, Ilza (2024)
• Obra Viva de Hermeto Pascoal - Volume 1: Flautas (2025)
• Triad+ Hermetic (Music Of Hermeto Pascoal) (2026)
• Sinfonia em Quadrinhos (2026)