Joao Paulo (Jota P) saxophone & flute · Luis Gustavo drums · Tom Cykman electric guitar · Luiz Gabriel trumpet · Gabriel Biel electric bass
Jota P — Brazilian Saxophone and the Unforgettable Legacy of Hermeto
Jota P is one of the most distinctive saxophonists in the contemporary Brazilian scene. A key member of Hermeto Pascoal’s group, with whom he won two Latin Grammys and performed in over twenty countries, his music combines high-level technique with uncommon expressive freedom, always grounded in rhythm and experimentation.
With his own quintet, Jota P develops a personal language that crosses jazz with Brazilian and South American rhythms, moving away from predictable formulas. He has worked with essential figures such as Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Arthur Verocai, Filó Machado, Michael Pipoquinha, Banda Black Rio, Raul de Souza, and Maurício Einhorn, establishing a remarkable career.
His albums feature special collaborations with Héctor Costita, Gabriel Grossi, and Hermeto Pascoal himself, and are noted for their organic sound, complex rhythms, and a very defined identity. About Hermeto, Jota P expresses it clearly: “I think his music is immortal and timeless. Musicians still haven’t truly discovered his music because they are used to the jazz aesthetic of ‘theme–improvisation–theme,’ whereas Hermeto’s music requires more practice because it is more difficult. Here in Brazil, few musicians delve deeply into his work, and I think that’s the reason.”
This concert includes a tribute to Hermeto Pascoal, on the anniversary of his passing, with performances of previously unrecorded compositions that highlight the creative and spiritual dimension of his legacy. The influence goes beyond music: “[Thanks to Hermeto], I learned that we must have our own personality, feel free in music, that ‘bad music’ doesn’t exist, and we must believe in our ideas. Spiritually, Hermeto was always one step ahead; he had an understanding of spirituality that I cannot explain, but that I continue to feel with me every day.”
Why shouldn’t you miss him?
Because Jota P embodies the living heritage of Hermeto Pascoal brought into the present: demanding, free, and deeply human music, where virtuosity serves exploration and emotion.
