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Aleuda began her musical career at 15, singing regional folk songs to her father’s guitar accompaniment in the circus. She was noticed one day by the famous jazz musician and improviser Hermeto Pascoal, and her professional career started soon after when he asked her to join his band as a singer and percussionist.

Since then she has worked with Milton Nascimento, Lo Borges, Egberto Gismonti, Azymuth, and Robertinho Silva (who is her musical partner and husband). Gismonti and Silva both appear with her on this album; Aleuda was the vocalist on the last Grupo Batuque album ‘Africa Brazil’ and has featured on many Far Out Productions.

Her latest release on Far Out Recordings has her teaming up with her old friend Hermeto ’the wizard’ Pascoal to produce this celebratory album, Oferenda. The recording is filled with the atmosphere of their native Bahia and North East of Brazil.

Legend Hermeto Pascoal was born in 1936, a musical child prodigy and wildly creative multi-instrumentalist. Known for his progressive reinvention of North East Brazilian song styles he has recorded with Miles Davis, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim. For Hermeto everything has musical possibilities and his talent as an improvisational musician makes for quirky and affecting music. His ability to follow each musical impulse, results in unexpected harmonies and rhythms coaxed from common instruments, recorded speech, and even household objects. Legendary percussionist Airto Moreira called him ‘the most complete musician I ever met in my life, a genius.’

On ‘Oferenda’ Aleuda and Hermeto Pascoal have teamed up to produce a timeless homage to the Nordeste (North East) of Brazil. It is a celebratory offering and the mood is reflected in the title of the album. The album has the inventiveness and spirituality of a Sun Ra composition. Improvised jazz is combined with samba to a wild and enchanting effect. Aleuda’s clear vocals carry the melody over the ever-changing musical backdrop evoking the luscious vitality of the forests and jungles, as well as the rich mix of the religions and folklores of North Eastern Brazil.

Discography

Oferenda – Aleuda (Far Out Recordings) 2000