Hermeto Pascoal, the Brazilian musician known as 'the sorcerer' for his innovative and boundary-pushing approach to music, died on Saturday at the age of 89. A self-taught virtuoso who learned flute, tambourine, piano and many other instruments by mimicking gestures, Pascoal drew his earliest inspirations from the natural sounds of rural Brazil, including frogs, birds, bullock carts and church bells.
Pascoal's career was marked by legendary anecdotes, such as punching Miles Davis and playing for five hours straight in Rio. He performed in rivers and caves, using kettles and bottles as instruments, and his compositions appeared on Davis's acclaimed 1971 album Live-Evil. Chick Corea and Elis Regina were among those who sought to perform with him.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1970 at the invitation of drummer Airto Moreira, Pascoal recorded his first solo album, Hermeto, which blended musique concrète, atonal jazz, and popular music. He later returned to Brazil, where he founded the Jabour School in Rio's western suburbs, a collective of musicians that produced live albums such as Cérebro Magnético (1980) and Só Não Toca Quem Não Quer (1987).
Despite being labelled a 'cursed artist' by Brazilian media for his experimental style, Pascoal influenced major figures like Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque. His 1984 album Lagoa da Canoa Município de Arapiraca captured his joyful, productive years, with tracks like 'Ilza na Feijoada' reflecting his unique musical vision.
