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Hermeto Pascoal
The Legendary Brazilian
Multi-Instrumentalist
A Composer Who Fuses Jazz & Brazilian Idioms
Hermeto CDs Hermeto Songbooks Hermeto Links
Brazilian
Music
Mundo Verde Esperanca
(2003)
This 2002 release was the first from Hermeto's 'Grupo' after a
10 year recording hiatus. The Grupo here is Hermeto, Fabio Pascoal (perc),
Alexandre Marques (piano), Itiberê Zwarg (bass), Marcio Bahia (drums), and
Vinícius Dorin (sax/flute). Also featured are members of Itiberê's 'Orquestra
Família'(their first recording 'Pedra do Espia' is available here at Amazon),
delivering incredible performances of fourteen tunes, each named for one of
Pascoal's grandchildren.
The music here is fresh, challenging, and inspiring; everything you would expect
from 'O Bruxo'. The musicianship is virtuostic; especially from the 'Orquestra'
members, none of whom is over 25 years of age! This, along with all the great
musicians to have passed through Hermeto's tutelage, is Hermeto's legacy; his
'Universal Music' will live and grow forever. A must for any
Hermeto collection; and required listening for
jazz fans who want to discover contemporary Brazilian improvised music.
--an Amazon reviewer
Eu E Eles
(1999)
Is his latest album, Hermeto Pascoal exhibits all that has made him famous worldwide. Everything is there: the atmospherical surrouding, the complex harmonies and, of course, the weirdest musical instruments in the world. Hermeto plays tea pots, toys, and ever sings with his mouth full of water. Everything is an instrument in his hands. The band is also amazing, both in technics and harmony. It's brazillian music at it's best, so, if your interested in south-american culture or ever world music. --an Amazon reviewer
Só Não Toca
Quem Não Quer
(1987)
This is just another example of unique and
exciting creations from the soul of this master musician. One minute he brings
you into the village with traditional folk-like songs, then suddenly you are
taken on a tour to some harmonically theatrical planet where you surrender to a
groove that only
Hermeto can create with his genius rhythms.
--an Amazon reviewer
Slaves Mass
(1977)
I pondered for a bit about what to call this album. "A classic"? "A masterpiece of Brazilian Music"? "An Unknown Genius"? ... The best I can say about Hermeto's work is all of the above and more. I am convinced that if he was born in the United States, he would be as well regarded as Miles Davis himself. I know this is quite a ambitious statement, the kind I am prompt not to make and even disdain when made by others, yet Mr. Pascoal deserves such company. Like Miles, Hermeto never stops re-inventing himself, reaching for the farthest shores of his own soul. Like Miles, it will render you speechless with the breadth of his musical vocabulary, and it may even annoy you, with his unwillingness to repeat himself and rest on the laurels of a "winning formula." This album is a universe onto itself. From the mystic to the bizarre in a single tune (check "Cannon, a lament for flute and two live pigs ... yes, really), or his virtuosity and inspiration on the piano on "Tacho."
If you honor the profound creativity of Miles Davis, the unexpected beauty of Monk's melodies, and the deep musical range of Zappa's parodies, you must buy this gem. One last warning ... don't expect a comfortable listening experience, this is only for those other humans who, like Hermeto, long to be transfixed and transformed by great art. --an Amazon reviewer
Limited
Availability
Cerebro
Magnetico
(1980)
A kooky and far-ranging free-jazz album that makes extensive use of indigenous Amazonian percussion and avant-jazz philosophies. Mega-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal, who is one of the key figures in modern Brazilian jazz, plays most of the music on here, apparently multi-tracking on several tunes, to play saxophone, flutes, percussion, woodwinds, piano and guitar, often on the same tune. He also draws on the help of several talented Brazilian jazz players, notably pianist Jovino Jose dos Santos Neto. Although I personally have a pretty short attention span for avantnik jazz, I found this album to be engaging from beginning to end. It's pretty impressive and imaginative; definitely worth checking out. --an Amazon reviewer
Zabumbe-Bum-A
(1979)
Almost 25 yrs old, this recording is a revelation to
Hermetologists that did not have access to it before, and for newcomers to the
sounds of O Bruxo, this cd contains some of
Hermeto's most accessable and most abstract
compositions, blended together like a delicious feijoada! Electric and acustic
instrumentation,spoken word improvisations and poesia--nordestino ritmos flows
to metamorph into odd meters and "fractured" time. Melodies and improvisations
move like a great river , placid and glassy one moment, swiftly running rapids
then, at times culminating into a freefalling waterfall- a musical Foz do
Iguassu! The compositions, "cousins" *Sao Jorge" and the "cosmic
baiao" *Santo Antonio* recall Hermeto's roots in the Alagoas state. The musical
patterns of the ladies asking for donations to prepare the food for the Festa do
Santo are counterpoint to the melody and "suinge" of the composition. "Suite Norte, Sul, Leste
,Oeste" has 4 obvious movements, one for each "direction". The rolling marcha of "Alexandre, Marcelo e Pablo" expands into a
mini-symphony, with Cacau overdubbing flauta and woodwinds, Hermeto scats with
his clavinete in an inspired solo. "Rede"and "Mestre Mara" ( in which Hermeto invokes "O
Mestre", the embodiment of the Maracatu ritmo) --these tracks take a more
abstract approach. "Suite Paulistano" is a COMPLETE cacaphany of
sounds -- Hermeto's impressions of Sao Paulo,
the business and industrial city of over 12 million people from all over
Brasil and the world!
--an Amazon reviewer
Hermeto with Quarteto Novo
Hermeto As Guest Artist
Miles Davis
Live
Evil
Davis records two Hermeto compositions,
"Nem Um Talvez" and "Little Church; the
album guests
Airto Moreira,
Wayne Shorter,
Chick Corea;
Hermeto is on "Little Church"
(1970)
Flora Purim
Encounter
Flora Purim with Airto Moreira,
McCoy Tyner,
Hermeto Pascoal,
George Duke and Ron Carter
(1976)
Tudo É Som,
edited by
Jovino Santos Neto, is not
currently available on Amazon.com;
to purchase a
copy, contact Neto
at his website www.jovisan.net,
or by email: jovino@jovisan.net
Hermeto Pascoal Article (by Bruce Gilman)
Hermeto Pascoal Interview (by Bruce Gilman)
Also See:
Jovino
Santos Neto