Hermeto Pascoal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hermeto Pascoal
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 22, 1936 Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil |
| Genres | Brazilian music, avant-garde jazz, forró |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | Band/musisi |
Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a famous Brazilian musician and composer. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Hermeto is well-known in Brazilian music for his amazing ability to create and arrange music. He is also famous for making up music on the spot, which is called improvisation. He has helped produce many albums in Brazil and around the world.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Musical Journey
Hermeto Pascoal grew up in a part of Northeastern Brazil where there was no electricity when he was born. His father taught him to play the accordion. Hermeto has albinism, which meant he couldn't work outside in the sun with his family. So, he spent many hours practicing music indoors.
From a very young age, Hermeto played the sanfona, which is a type of accordion. When he was eight, he began playing the flute. Hermeto was a child prodigy who taught himself music. At age eleven, he started performing in music groups with his brother, Jose Neto Pascoal, and his father, Pascoal José da Costa.
In 1950, his family moved to Recife. Hermeto started playing in groups there that began to get radio time. By 1960, he also learned to play the saxophone and formed a group called Som Quatro.
His professional music career began in 1964. He appeared on several Brazilian recordings with new groups. These albums and the musicians he worked with, like Edu Lobo, Elis Regina, and Cesar Camargo Mariano, helped create new styles in Brazilian jazz after the bossa nova era.
In 1966, he played in the Sambrasa Trio with Airto Moreira. They released one album called Em Som Maior. Then he joined Trio Novo, which later became Quarteto Novo in 1967. Their album helped launch the careers of Pascoal and Moreira. After that, Pascoal joined the group Brazilian Octopus.
Becoming Famous Worldwide
Hermeto Pascoal first became known internationally when he appeared on Miles Davis's 1971 album Live-Evil. He played on three songs that he also wrote for the album. Miles Davis reportedly called Pascoal "the most impressive musician in the world."
Later, Hermeto worked with other Brazilian musicians like Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. From the late 1970s onwards, he mostly led his own music groups. He performed at many famous places, including the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1979. Other members of his group have included bassist Itibere Zwarg and pianist Jovino Santos-Neto.
Hermeto is known as o Bruxo, which means "the Sorcerer." He often creates music using unusual objects. These can be teapots, children's toys, and even animal sounds. He also plays many traditional instruments like keyboards, accordions, saxophones, and flutes.
He often uses nature as an inspiration for his music. For example, in his piece Música da Lagoa, musicians play flutes and make bubbling sounds while standing in a lagoon. A TV show in 1999 even showed him singing into a cup with his mouth partly in water! Folk music from rural Brazil is also a big influence on his work.
Between 1996 and 1997, Pascoal worked on a special book project called Calendário do Som. This book has a unique song for every single day of the year, even February 29th. This means everyone can have a song for their birthday!
He was married to Ilza da Silva from 1954 until she passed away in 2000. He wrote many songs for her. They had six children and many grandchildren. Hermeto later married Aline Morena in 2003, and they were together until 2016.
He now lives in Bangu, Rio de Janeiro, where he spends a lot of time writing music. He also practices and welcomes musicians from all over the world.
In 2019, his album Hermeto Pascoal e Sua Visão Original do Forró won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Portuguese Language Roots Album. This was a big honor for his music.
Discography
Albums as a Leader or Group Member
- 1964: Conjunto Som 4 (with Conjunto Som 4)
- 1966: Em Som Maior (with Sambrasa Trio)
- 1967: Quarteto Novo (with Quarteto Novo)
- 1969: Brazilian Octopus (with Brazilian Octopus)
- 1970: Hermeto Pascoal (his first solo album, also called Brazilian Adventure)
- 1973: A música livre de Hermeto Pascoal
- 1977: Slaves Mass
- 1977: Trindade
- 1979: Zabumbê-bum-á
- 1979: Ao vivo Montreux Jazz Festival
- 1979: Nova história da Música Popular Brasileira (a collection of songs)
- 1980: Cérebro magnético
- 1981: Planetário da Gávea
- 1982: Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo (also known as The Legendary Improviser)
- 1984: Lagoa da Canoa, Município de Arapiraca
- 1986: Brasil Universo
- 1987: Só não toca quem não quer
- 1988: Hermeto solo: por diferentes caminhos
- 1992: Festa dos deuses
- 1993: Instrumental no CCBB (with Renato Borghetti)
- 1998: Música!: o melhor da música de Hermeto Pascoal (a collection of his best songs)
- 1999: Eu e eles
- 2002: Mundo verde esperança
- 2006: Chimarrão com rapadura (with Aline Morena)
- 2010: Bodas de Latão (with Aline Morena)
- 2013: Hermeto Pascoal: The Monash Sessions
- 2017: No Mundo dos Sons
- 2017: Viajando com o som (recorded in 1976)
- 2017: Natureza Universal
- 2018: Made of Music
- 2018: E sua visão original do forró
- 2024: Pra você, Ilza
Albums He Contributed To
- 1956: Ritmos Alucinantes, by Clovis Pereira
- 1959: Batucando no Morro, by Pernambuco do Pandeiro e seu regional
- 1970: Natural Feelings, by Airto Moreira
- 1970: Electric Byrd, by Donald Byrd
- 1970: Sergio Mendes Presents Lobo, by Edu Lobo
- 1970: It Could Only Happen with You, by Duke Pearson
- 1970: Live-Evil, by Miles Davis
- 1971: Cantiga de Longe, by Edu Lobo
- 1971: Seeds on the Ground, by Airto Moreira
- 1975: Di Melo, by Di Melo
- 1976: Imyra, Tayra, Ipy, by Taiguara
- 1976: Open Your Eyes You Can Fly, by Flora Purim
- 1976 Goldenwings, by Opa
- 1977: Orós, by Raimundo Fagner
- 1978: Robertinho no passo, by Robertinho de Recife
- 1979: Sivuca, by Sivuca
- 1979: Live in Montreux, by Elis Regina
- 1980: Stone Alliance, by Márcio Montarroyos
- 1983: Cordas vivas, by Heraldo do Monte
- 1984: Ponto do músicos, by Nenê
- 1986: Balãozinho, by Eduardo Gudin
- 1986: Cordas mágicas, by Heraldo do Monte
- 1986: Pindorama, by Pau Brasil
- 1987: Flávio Pantoja, by Flavio Pantoja
- 1987: Dharana, by Dharana
- 1996: Brasil Musical - Série Música Viva - Pau Brasil E Hermeto Pascoal|Brasil Musical - Série Música Viva (with Pau Brasil)
- 1998: Maritmo, by Adriana Calcanhotto (on track "Canção por Acaso")
- 2000: Oferenda, by Aleuda
- 2000: Nação Nordestina, by Zé Ramalho (on track "Violando com Hermeto")
- 2003: Serenata: The Music of Hermeto Pascoal, by Mike Marshall and Jovino Santos Neto
- 2006: Roda Carioca, by Jovino Santos Neto
- 2023: Beams, by Dan Costa (composer)
See also
In Spanish: Hermeto Pascoal para niños
