
15/09/2025
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal.
Known as “O Bruxo” (the sorcerer) for his unique ability to blend Brazilian rhythms and jazz into innovative works. A self-taught prodigy, he played instruments like the accordion and flute from a young age, becoming a vital figure in post-bossa nova Brazilian jazz. His influential career included collaborations with Miles Davis and landmark albums like Slaves Mass, and he was a prolific composer, with over 10,000 compositions to his name.
Pascoal frequently created music using unconventional objects—teapots, children’s toys, animals—as well as more familiar instruments like keyboards, button accordions, melodica, saxophones, guitars, flutes, voices, brass, and folkloric instruments. Nature itself often served as the foundation for his compositions: in Música da Lagoa, for instance, musicians immerse themselves in a lagoon, burbling water and playing glass bottles and flutes. A 1999 Brazilian television broadcast captured Pascoal soloing by singing into a cup while his mouth was partly submerged. Equally central to his work is the influence of rural Brazilian folk traditions.