When I was 16, I played in “Xango 3”. We rehearsed every afternoon after school. On one of those afternoons, the pianist did not show up for rehearsal and so the drummer and I decided to go to “Canja” (Jazz Lovers’ Club) in São Paulo, to maybe play a little with somebody who was there. To our surprise, it was Hermeto who was playing, who used to use the piano to study with in the afternoon.

I did not know him personally, but I knew of the “New Quartet” which was active then.

This was the first time I had played with him.

In 1977 he called me to play at “Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo” and I moved to Rio de Janeiro where I have lived until today.

At that time, we recorded several projects and traveled around the world, sharing Universal Music with everyone and everywhere.

Because of the musical affinity that we have, I always talk a lot with Hermeto about everything, even outside of music. He always compliments my harmonic skills and what I feel for music, and that makes us closer.

In my view, Hermeto is the most profound, comprehensive and creative musician that has ever appeared in this world, and it will still take many years to be able to measure the real impact of his musical work.

Since he was a child, he had been very connected with nature, and always through the sounds of the ox carriage in the fields, birds, etc. This was already part of his music, so much so that he always insisted on showing it, even when he took two little pigs on stage at a music festival so that they would squeal during a certain stretch of music

He taught himself to play due to his ear for music, (which he calls his master). He encouraged me to develop that sense, and that was and is one of the most important things in my training with “Universal Music”

Another very important thing is that Hermeto creates and lets it be created. I developed my own style of playing bass, and my greatest encouragement was and is playing with those who do not stop to create.

The term “Universal Music” was conceived of by Hermeto to encompass all genres of music, rhythms, melodic nuances, etc., characterizing this music that welcomes everything and everyone, calling us to not only accept all cultures, races and creeds, but to become aware of the human wealth that is contained within it as well.

When I came across all of this, I felt at home. That was what I always felt, but I had not realized it until then.

This song we play does not exclude, he adds. It call on all of us to join together, in a greater goal that is to unite peoples through art, in this moment of planetary transition.

The beauty of the sounds organized with art will always be our goal, “music of the heart!” “Whoever understands dies!” (Because it is to feel). “Intuition, is in first place!”

I asked Hermeto which record he recorded and what she liked the most. He replied :

“My discs are like my children, each one you like differently.

Take the latter, just because it’s the youngest. “

                                                  Long Live Universal Music!

Itiberê Zwarg