Photo: Festival Sensacional / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Hermeto Pascoal was listed as a composer, saxophonist and jazz musician. Born on June 22, 1936, Hermeto Pascoal was from Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil. Death is recorded on September 13, 2025, at the age of 89. Listed accolades include Order of Cultural Merit (Brazil) (2010).
My Take
Hermeto Pascoal was simply one of the most jaw-dropping musical minds Brazil has ever produced, and I don't think enough people outside of jazz circles give him his due. Born in 1936 in the rural northeast of Brazil, the man grew up to become a one-person orchestra — equally at home on piano, saxophone, guitar, flute, and reportedly just about anything he can get his hands on, including, famously, a teapot. His work in the 1970s alongside Miles Davis alone earns him a permanent seat at the table of jazz legends, but what's really wild is that Hermeto never stopped pushing — decade after decade of compositions that blend Brazilian folk, jazz, and pure sonic invention in ways that feel almost alien in their complexity yet somehow groove like crazy. The 2010 Order of Cultural Merit from Brazil was long overdue recognition for a guy who basically created his own genre and quietly influenced musicians worldwide for over half a century before his death in 2025.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Hermeto Pascoal
- Name (Japanese)
- エルメート・パスコアール
- Reading
- えるめーと・ぱすこあーる
- Born
- June 22, 1936 – September 13, 2025
- Origin
- Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil
- Occupation
- composer / saxophonist / jazz musician / pianist / guitarist
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Rat
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2010 Order of Cultural Merit (Brazil)
3. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/hermeto-pascoal-mn0000572263#biography
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeto%20Pascoal
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%AB%E3%83%A1%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%BB%E3%83%91%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B3%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q560969
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Hermeto Pascoal born?
Hermeto Pascoal was born on June 22, 1936.
When did Hermeto Pascoal die?
Hermeto Pascoal died on September 13, 2025, aged 89.
Where was Hermeto Pascoal from?
Hermeto Pascoal was from Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil.
What did Hermeto Pascoal do?
Hermeto Pascoal worked as composer, saxophonist, jazz musician, pianist, guitarist.
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