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 |
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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 known for his amazing ability to create and improvise music. He has also helped produce many Brazilian and international music albums.
Contents
Biography
Hermeto's Early Life and Music Journey
Hermeto Pascoal grew up in a part of Northeastern Brazil that did not have electricity when he was born. He learned to play the accordion from his father. Hermeto spent many hours practicing indoors. This was because he was albino, which meant he had very light skin and eyes. He could not work outside in the sun with his family.
His music career started in 1964. He played on several Brazilian recordings with new groups. These albums helped create new styles in Brazilian jazz music. In 1966, he played in the Sambrasa Trio. Later, he joined Trio Novo, which was renamed Quarteto Novo in 1967. This group released an album that helped launch Hermeto's career. He then joined another group called Brazilian Octopus.
Becoming Famous Around the World
Hermeto Pascoal first became known internationally in 1971. He appeared on Miles Davis's album Live-Evil. Hermeto played on three songs that he also wrote for the album. Miles Davis, a very famous jazz musician, reportedly called Hermeto "the most impressive musician in the world."
After this, Hermeto worked with other Brazilian musicians like Airto Moreira. From the late 1970s, he mostly led his own music groups. He performed at many famous places, like the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1979. His group included talented musicians such as Itibere Zwarg and Jovino Santos-Neto.
The Sorcerer of Music
Hermeto is often called o Bruxo, which means "the Sorcerer." This is because he can make music with almost anything! He uses regular instruments like keyboards, flutes, and guitars. But he also uses unusual objects like teapots, children's toys, and even animals.
Nature is a big inspiration for his music. For example, in his piece Música da Lagoa (Music of the Lagoon), musicians play flutes while bubbling water. A TV show in 1999 even showed him singing into a cup with his mouth partly in water! Folk music from rural Brazil also greatly influences his work.
Between 1996 and 1997, Hermeto worked on a special project called Calendário do Som (Sound Calendar). This project has a unique song for every single day of the year, even February 29. This means everyone can have a song for their birthday!
Hermeto 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. He later married Aline Morena from 2003 to 2016.
Today, Hermeto lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He spends a lot of his time writing new music, practicing, and welcoming 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.
Discography
Hermeto Pascoal has released many albums as a leader and has contributed to many others. Here are a few examples of his work:
As leader or member
- 1967: Quarteto Novo (with Quarteto Novo)
- 1970: Hermeto Pascoal (his first solo album)
- 1977: Slaves Mass
- 1982: Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo
- 1999: Eu e eles
- 2017: No Mundo dos Sons
- 2018: E sua visão original do forró (Latin Grammy winner)
As contributor
- 1970: Live-Evil, by Miles Davis
- 1971: Seeds on the Ground, by Airto Moreira
- 1976: Open Your Eyes You Can Fly, by Flora Purim
- 2003: Serenata: The Music of Hermeto Pascoal, by Mike Marshall and Jovino Santos Neto
Images for kids
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Hermeto Pascoal
See also
In Spanish: Hermeto Pascoal para niños
