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“Incredible record, outstanding actually” - Gilles Peterson


Itiberê Zwarg is an award-winning Brazilian bassist and the longest-serving member of Hermeto Pascoal’s ground-breaking ensemble ‘O Grupo’. Since their first meeting in 1977, the two have been closely collaborating to create a unique musical language: a genre-defying polyharmonic, polyrhythmic music, now widely studied by musicians and musicologists alike, known as ‘Universal Music’.

Back in 2001, Itiberê led a workshop at Villa Lobos School of Music, with twenty-nine of Rio de Janeiro’s most exceptionally talented young musicians. Employing the principles of Universal Music alongside his long-held belief in the powers of listening and intuition, Itiberê composed and arranged in real time, transcribing the improvisations of the prodigious orchestra while allowing the players total freedom to experiment. The result was Pedra do Espia, an Amazonian orchestral masterpiece which is as difficult to categorise as it is fun to listen to.

Named after the beachside viewing point which translates as ‘Spy’s Rock’, where Itiberê would sit as a child, daydreaming and gazing out over the Brazilian coast, the record harnesses the pure creativity of youth and nature, creating a magical sense of innocence amongst the striking compositions and astonishing musicianship.

On the original liner notes from the 2001 CD release, Itiberê guarantees the record to be “surprising in its uniqueness, it’s harmonic richness, it’s exuberant melodies and rhythmic variations like nothing heard before.” Bringing the album to vinyl for the first time, alongside a full 16 track CD and digital release, Far Out Recordings are honoured to present this overlooked masterpiece from one of the greatest minds in Brazilian instrumental music.



“Itiberê Zwarg Orquestra Família make universal music. This family has fallen from the sky. Their music is excellent, a treasure chest full of harmonic, rhythmic and melodic jewels. The name Itiberê Zwarg Orquestra Família exists because they are a family, united by music and the father they share in Itiberê. His children of sound play better than adults. This was exactly the time for a sound like this to appear. I, Hermeto Pascoal, do not mess around, music is my religion. That’s why I say this.” - Hermeto Pascoal