Hermeto Pascoal hits home with Brazilian adventure at Ronnie Scott’s

From the moment Hermeto Pascoal entered the room – in a musical convoy with the rest of his band, playing a melodica and in a bright orange, Hawaiian-style shirt – it was clear that the evening was going to be unforgettable. The gig in question was on Tuesday night at Ronnie Scott’s (as part of the London Jazz Festival) and those in attendance were the lucky beneficiaries of one of Hermeto’s infrequent trips to the UK. His fellow musicians, equally joyous, comprised Fabio Pascoal on percussion, Itiberê Zwarg on bass and vocals, André Marques on piano, Jota P. on saxophones and flutes, and Ajurina Zwarg on drums. Together, they took Ronnie’s to Brazil. 

From the off, it was clear that Hermeto’s interest lay more in the collective’s sound as opposed to his individual playing. He was attentive to the rest of the band, occasionally shouting out orders for a sudden key change as well as words of encouragement. At one point, Zwarg yelled back “Hermeto, that’s not cool”, after Hermeto intervened to the point of distraction, causing the piece to stop-start. 

Famously a multi-instrumentalist, Pascoal divided his time between keyboard, melodica, vocals, and even at one point, singing through a half-full silver tea kettle, which produced a bubbling, otherworldly sound. His band members had plenty to offer, with Zwarg showing chops on piano and vocals as well as bass, and Marques on pandeiro as well as piano. One of the highlights of the night was when the younger Pascoal soloed on percussion while the other musicians left the stage. He played a combination of drums, triangle, a kazoo-styled whistle, a rubber piglet and a rubber chicken, in a one-man band style, which defied the limits of possibility. 

The music was an unclassifiable mixture of frevo, choro, baiao, jazz, and a multitude of other influences, all mostly Hermeto’s compositions, with a couple of standards (Autumn Leaves and '‘Round Midnight' on kettle) tossed in. A rendition of his samba 'Viva O Rio de Janeiro' seemed almost frantic, with several layers of cross-rhythms masking the extreme tightness of the group. As well as maintaining the pulse with rhythmic comping on his electric keyboard, Pascoal occasionally launched into rapid solos, which travelled beyond standard time signatures and phraseology.

There was so little formula and so much spontaneity in the band’s performance, that at one point, Pascoal’s manager came to the stage and translated his approach to music, which Pascoal described as “total freedom, like being at home with the family”. Even the call and response with the audience seemed particularly on point and impressively musical, such was the lack of inhibition in the room. Beneath the squawking rubber chickens, hip, Santa-like beard, and playful persona, there lies an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind musician with a passion for sharing his music with the world.