Born in 1976 in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, João Hermeto has become one of Rio de Janeiro's most in-demand percussionists as well as a top-notch pandeirista. He studied piano as saxophone as a child and became exposed to the world of percussion when he began to practice capoeira at the age of 17. He studied with some of the great capoeira masters and has also studied the world of Jongo, Candomblé and Tambor de Crioula with various masters.

João was one of the founders of the choro group "Abraçando Jacaré", one of the groups responsible for the resurgence of the Lapa neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro in the 90s. He is currently a member of the French violinist Nicolas Krassik's group. He has also accompanied some of Brazil's greatest artists such as, Yamandú Costa, Wilson das Neves, Wilson Moreira, Délcio Carvalho, Elza Soares , Áurea Martins, Teresa Cristina, Paulinho da Viola, Xangô da Mangueira, Marcos Sacramento, Clara Sandroni, Gabriel Improta, Marcos Ferrer, Gal Costa, Vanessa Barum, Pepe Barcellos, Baia, Zé Paulo Becker, Rita Ribeiro, Zé da Velha, Hamilton de Holanda, Carlos Malta, and others.

He has also toured extensively in Brazil and Europe as a performer and educator and has given pandeiro workshops in France. He has also substituted for the legendary drummer and percussionist Robertinho Silva at Maracatu Brasil in Rio de Janeiro.


Selected discography:
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