"Pascoal became an instantly recognisable figure for jazz fans around the world with his mane of white hair and thick beard. Critics lauded his creativity as a composer and his virtuoso playing of the keyboard, guitar and saxophone. Born on 22 June 1936, in Alagoas state in Brazil's poor north-east, he was spared work in the fields as an albino child and instead spent hours learning how to play his father's accordion and listening to birdsong."
"Percussionist Airto Moreira took Pascoal on tour to the US, where he met Davis, already a jazz superstar. Before inviting him to play on his Live-Evil album in 1970, Davis asked Pascoal to join him in his personal boxing ring and, in the Brazilian's telling of the encounter, got hit hard in the face. That's when he started calling me the Mad Albino, Pascoal recounted in an interview."
Hermeto Pascoal was a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and composer famed for experimental approaches and conjuring music from everyday objects. He became visually recognisable for his white mane and thick beard and earned acclaim for virtuoso keyboard, guitar and saxophone playing. Born 22 June 1936 in Alagoas, he avoided field labor as an albino child, learned his father's accordion and listened to birdsong. His family moved to Recife at 14, and he later worked in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, recording with leading Brazilian artists including Elis Regina. A US tour with Airto Moreira led to an encounter with Miles Davis and contributions to the Live-Evil album. He died aged 89 surrounded by family and fellow musicians.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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