Hermeto Pascoal

Hermeto Pascoal, born on June 22, 1936, in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil, is a renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist (keyboards, flute, saxophone, accordion, guitar). Growing up in rural Brazil without electricity, he mastered the accordion, laying the groundwork for his innovative music career. In the 1960s, he emerged in Brazil’s jazz scene, performing with influential groups like Sambrasa Trio (1964-1965) and Quarteto Novo (1966-1969), whose 1967 album launched his career. In 1971, Pascoal gained international recognition through his work with Miles Davis on Live-Evil. Dubbed "The Sorcerer," he expanded musical boundaries by incorporating unconventional sounds from objects like teapots and toys, alongside traditional instruments. Influenced by Brazilian folk traditions and nature, he created works like Música da Lagoa. Pascoal released groundbreaking albums, including Slaves Mass (1977), Zabumbê-bum-á (1979) and Lagoa da Canoa (1984), and performed globally, notably at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1979. From 1982 to 2017, the musician played and recorded with his own big band, Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo. Between 1996 and 1997, he composed Calendário do Som, a songbook with 366 compositions. In 2019, his archival album Hermeto Pascoal e Sua Visão Original do Forró, containing recordings from 1998-1999, won a Latin Grammy Award. Based in Rio de Janeiro and still composing until his death, Pascoal recorded his last album Pra Você, Ilza with is long-time band, released in 2024. With a legacy spanning seven decades, Hermeto Pascoal died from multiple orgain failure on September 13, 2025, at the age of 89.