Hermeto Pascoal is a prominent Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. His compositions appear on albums by Miles Davis and other jazz heavyweights. Pascoal's sextet is an extra-sensory musical unit that has been with him for over 10 years and rehearses daily. The music runs from the lyrical and romantic to raucous, from folkloric to his futuristic angular melodies, often creating a dense barrage of sound. The band sometimes uses synthesizers and saxophones as well as a battery of invented instruments - hub caps, teapots, and bowls of rocks - guided by Hermeto?s wizardry and benevolent spirit.

He was born in 1936 in Lagoa da Canoa, a small town in northeastern Brazil. His reputation in Brazil is the result of a varied career. As a juvenile he learned to play the flute, appearing on a multitude of occasions. When his family moved to Recife in 1950 he spent the following six years as an accordion player for radio stations, ending as the director of a complete orchestra. Pascoal then moved on to Rio, stunned by the possibilities and musical opportunities arising for him.

In 1964 he joined Aito Moreira in a group called Trio Sambraza. Two years later, again with Airto, a first record was released in Brazil with the Quarteto Novo. When in 1969 the group broke up and Airto Moreira left for the States to play with Miles Davis, Hermeto stayed behind. Pascoals' international career began two years later. Airto called him to arrange his productions in New York. Miles Davis, who was fascinated by the wilfulness of Brazilian and especially Pascoal?s music gave him room fo two compositions of his own on the album Live Evil. In the same year 1972, Hermeto Pascoal?s first album, together with Flora Purim, Airto Moreira and Ron Carter was released; called Hermeto.

Due to the recognition Pascoal received in the United States, the Brazilian record industry's interest grew rapidly. In 1973 he released an album called A Musica Livre De Hermeto Pascoal. It was due to his innovative power, his restlessness, his search for unconventional musical instruments ? bottles, stones and almost everything else that could create sounds ? that people started calling him "Bruxo", the wizard. His masterpiece, a milestone in the Brazilian music world, was the album Slaves Mass, released 1977. Many other releases followed after this breakthrough.

His influence on Brazilian music extends well beyond his own hefty output as a writer an multi-instrumentalist. As the father-figure for avant-garde Brazilian Jazz, Pascoal's pioneering music has prepped a generation of musicians who are now having a great deal to say about the direction of the American music scene. The Pascoal lesson is a memorable one, and students like Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, Milton Nascimento and Hugo Fattoruso don't forget. Airto, Down Beat's number one percussionist for the last seven consecutive years recently had this to say about his mentor: "He is the most complete musician I ever met in my life. I consider him almost a genius"

Quarteto Novo, with Airto Moreira, Theo de Barros and Heraldo do Monte (EMI-Odeon, 1967)

Hermeto (Muse/Polygram, 1972)

A musica livre de Hermeto Pascoal (Fontana/Warner, 1973)

Missa dos Escravos (WEA, 1977)

Zabumb?-bum-? (WEA, 1979)

Ao vivo em Montreux -doble- (WEA, 1979)

Cerebro magn?tico (WEA, l98O)

Hermeto Pascoal e Grupo (Som da Gente, 1982)

Lagoa da Canoa (Som da Gente, 1984)

Brasil Universo (Som da Gente, 1986)

So nao toca quem nao quer (Som da Gente, 1987)

Por diferentes caminhos -doble- (Som da Gente, 1988)

Festa dos Deuses (Polygram, 1992)

Eu e Eles (R?dio MEC JABOUR99MEC, 1999)

Aleuda (2001)

Slaves Mass [reissue of 1997's Missa dos Escravos + bonus tracks] (Warner Jazz, 2004)