My colleague Alain Brunet once wrote: “Hermeto Pascoal must be considered an absolute genius.” This Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, little known in our part of the world, has produced a unique blend of Brazilian music, jazz, experimental music, and everything in between.
By pure coincidence, the Montreal National Jazz Orchestra’s tribute concert, which had been in preparation for a long time, was presented five days after his death. The guest conductor, Jovino Santos Neto, is a longtime companion of Hermeto Pascoal, which added a great deal of emotion. All the more so because Jovino speaks excellent French and was able to easily convey this emotional palette to us.
For fans of Hermeto’s music, myself included, one question remained. How would this jazz big band be able to translate the genius’s often fragmented and unconventional music? Sometimes there is only a piano solo, sometimes indigenous flutes, sometimes an accordion?
The answer came quickly, right from the first piece, “Apresentação.” It turns out that O Bruxo (the wizard), as he is nicknamed, has already written arrangements for big bands. However, the musicians had to step out of their comfort zone, starting the piece with vocal onomatopoeia.
The brass arrangements were astonishing! And the orchestra was furiously tight. It sounded great despite the console failure at the beginning of the concert. “Brasil Universo” followed, and we were floating. It grooved seriously, with the atonal slips that are Hermeto’s trademark.
It quickly became apparent that Jovino was enjoying conducting this group. When the console was restored (it had apparently died at the beginning of the concert), he sat down at the piano to play two solo pieces by Pascoal, and we were levitating! That said, Marianne Trudel played the piano for almost the entire concert, and she did so very, very well, as usual. There was an obvious rapport between her and Jovino, who she had met in Brazil a long time ago.
The next part of the concert was a little more traditional jazz, albeit sophisticated. And the audience seemed to love it. The ONJ featured a guest percussionist, Brazilian Carlos Henrique Feitosa. There were lots of solos; saxophonist David Bellemare was in brilliant form, as was Jean-Pierre Zanella, the most Brazilian of Quebec saxophonists.
It ended on a high note with “Piramide,” during which the whole band went wild. And “Obrigado Mestre” (Thank you, Master), at the end of which Jovino Santos Neto had to wipe away a few tears.
In short, the skeptics were proven wrong and we had a wonderful evening. The ONJM’s next concert will take place on October 30 and will feature music by female composers. See you there!
MONTREAL NATIONAL JAZZ ORCHESTRA
The Music of Hermeto Pascoal
September 18
At Cinquième Salle de la Place des Arts
