Brazilian musical visionary Hermeto Pascoal has died at the age of 89, surrounded by family and fellow musicians. A once-in-a-century talent, he rose from rural poverty in Alagoas to international acclaim, dazzling audiences with his boundless creativity and deep connection to sound in all its forms. Miles Davis once called him “the most impressive musician in the world” — and anyone who’s ever heard Hermeto solo on a teapot knows exactly why. To celebrate his legacy, here are 20 amazing, true facts about the life and music of “o Bruxo” — the Sorcerer.
- Hermeto Pascoal was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, in northeastern Brazil — in a region without electricity at the time.
- He was born with albinism and couldn’t work in the fields, so he stayed indoors and taught himself music.
- His first instrument was the button accordion, taught by his father, Pascoal José da Costa.
- By the age of 8, he was already playing flute, and by 11 he was performing live with his brother and father.
- In 1960, he picked up the saxophone and later formed the group Som Quatro.
- His early recordings in the 1960s featured Brazilian legends like Edu Lobo, Elis Regina, and Cesar Camargo Mariano.
- In 1966, he joined Sambrasa Trio with Airto Moreira and Humberto Clayber, releasing one influential album.
- He later joined Quarteto Novo, whose 1967 album launched the careers of both Pascoal and Moreira.
- In 1971, he appeared on Miles Davis’s Live-Evil album, performing and composing three tracks.
- Miles Davis allegedly called Hermeto “the most impressive musician in the world.”
- He played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1979 and led his own ensembles for decades afterward.
- His performances used everything from melodicas and saxophones to teapots, toys, and live animals.
- He famously created Música da Lagoa, a composition played partly underwater in a lagoon.
- Nature and rural Brazilian folk music were constant inspirations in his music.
- Between 1996 and 1997, he wrote Calendário do Som — a book of 366 songs, one for each day of the year.
- He lived in Jabour, a neighborhood in Rio, where he hosted musicians from around the world.
- In 2019, he won a Latin Grammy for Hermeto Pascoal e Sua Visão Original do Forró.
- He was married to Ilza da Silva from 1954 until her passing in 2000; they had six children together.
- From 2003 to 2016, he was married to singer Aline Morena while living in Curitiba.
- Hermeto Pascoal passed away on September 13, 2025, from multiple organ failure — but his music will play forever.