mick laBriola

The prolific Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal has died. Nicknamed “the Sorcerer,” Pascoal resembled a wizard from a storybook — both in his personal style, and his ability to create magical sounds from unusual places. According to social media posts from his family, Pascoal died on Saturday. He was 89.

Hermeto Pascoal Oliveira da Costa (22 June 1936 – 13 September 2025) was a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. Pascoal was best known in Brazilian musicfor his orchestration and improvisation, as well as for being a record producer and contributor to many Brazilian and international albums.