O Bruxo, they call him in Brazil. It means the sorcerer, and it’s an apt description for the charismatic, wayward, once-in-a-lifetime genius of Hermeto Pascoal. This unique artist makes a rare trip to Europe and rarer still, he does so in the company of twenty of the UK’s finest players, assembled to play compositions from his vast repertoire of music that defies category, classification or genre.
Call it Hermeto music, equal parts eccentric and virtuoso, unmistakeably Brazilian in its dexterity and momentum, yet happy to detour into jazz, chamber music, free improvisation, pop and rock. Far from being a contrivance, this wilful eclecticism is borne of this self-taught musician’s deep affinity with the natural world, inspired by the rainforest cacophony of his native Lagoa da Canoa in north-eastern Brazil.
His prolific output as a composer is matched only by his savant-like ability with any instrument, and Pascoal wields keyboards, woodwinds, accordions and guitars with an amazing facility. He’s just as likely to fashion music from a kettle, a plastic toy, a
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