In several interviews, Hermeto has said: "I don’t invent music. I receive it. I am just a medium. And my first receiver is Saint George."
Thus, his famous performances—where he plays a solo on a teapot, or conducts an orchestra using only gestures and screams—are not eccentric stunts. They are rituals . They are offerings to the saint of the sword, proving that even the most chaotic, free-jazz improvisation can be a form of prayer. hermeto pascoal sao jorge
In live performances and rare studio recordings, Hermeto often inserts prayers or spoken-word incantations. One of the most famous is the "Oração de São Jorge" (Prayer of Saint George), which Hermeto recites not as a passive plea, but as a declaration of war. In several interviews, Hermeto has said: "I don’t
However, in Brazil—particularly through the lens of religious syncretism with African traditions—São Jorge is often associated with , the orixá of war, iron, technology, and labor. Ogum is the blacksmith who opens paths, the warrior who clears the forest, the one who fights not for glory, but for the survival of the community. And my first receiver is Saint George
Hermeto Pascoal is now in his late 80s (as of this writing), still performing, still drinking coffee at 3 AM while composing, still shouting "Tá tudo aí, misturado!" ("Everything is there, mixed up!"). His devotion to São Jorge has not waned. If anything, it has become more visible.