Review: Nate Mercereau, Josh Johnson & Carlos Niño - Openness Trio (Blue Note Records)

If you know your Carlos Niño, you'll know that that's he's a deeply spiritual man that loves thoughtful ambient jazz, be open to the debut on Blue Note for the 'Openness Trio'.  

 

With a past that's gone from underground hip-hop, to The Life Force Trio (with Dwight Trible, who recently featured on the Colletiivo Immaginario album 'Oltreocenao', see review HERE) to the enormous Build An Ark project to the Surya Botofasina coupling 'Everyone's Childen (see review HERE) to last year's trio with Surya and Nate Mercereau 'Subtle Movements' (and there's loads more), he's constantly evolving.

This must be the most ambient spiritual jazz album Blue Note has ever released with sunshine and joy, love and peace from Nate (guitar/synths), Josh (sax) and Carlos (percussion).  Five tracks recorded in five different sessions in Ventura County and LA, expect gentle, reflective and meditative tracks like the lead track, 'Hawk Dreams' (see below).

Did I tell you that I once met Niño many years ago in London, in a cafe opposite Rough Trade East and he mostly talked about his love of swimming in the Pacific (he was living in San Diego at the time) and being close to nature and his time with his son, with whom his was DJing with on his radio show, as well as going through his "60's period" of rediscovering The Beatles.  Well he's done 'From Beatles To Beatniks' and more and I for one will be playing this out mindfully at a summer festival coming near you soon.

BUY LINK: Nate Mercereau, Josh Johnson, Carlos Niño "Openness Trio"

Artist: Nate Mercereau, Josh Johnson & Carlos Niño

Title: Openness Trio

Release date: 11h July, 2025

Label : Blue Note Records

Catalog Number: Vinyl / Digital

Review: WEB WEB x MAX HERRE - WEB MAX II (Compost Records)

Double 'web' and a 'Web Max II' sounds like the long awaited follow up to 'Web Max' is finally with us and it's definitely been worth the wait.

Whilst YATM were 'off-blog' (Ed. the equivalent of radio's "off-air"), Compost Records released the 'Web Max' in the summer of 2001: a collaboration of jazz group Web Web (that includes Roberto Di Gioia - see review of his album with Peter Kruder HERE) and songwriter and producer Max Herre.  It was 'modern modal' with original tracks and guests  like Yusef Latef (wow!), Mulatu Astatke (wow!!) and New York harpist, Brandee Younger. 

It might have gone under a few radars as it's in such compilation stronghold competition like Jazzman's Spiritual Jazz series so it comes as no surprise that Herre and the band have upped their game on this all new/no covers 10 track album; plus one very special guest. 

Paying tribute to the predessors ('Perennial Journey') that they absorb might a more than healthy not to Sun Ra Arkestra's (in all forms) to Cinematic Orchestra (OST/Library) to Afro-jazz/gospel and more; like bass clarinet, bassoon and the original sampler from the 70s, the mellotron! 

This sounds like something that internationally renown artist Carlos Niño would be proud to be a part of I hear you say.  And he is!  Mr. Niño you will recall from startig out in Hip-hop to collaborations with Dwight Trible and then orchestral projects celebrating Dilla with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson to open-water swim swimming (well, that's what he was into 14 years ago when I interview him).  Of late, he's been more of an abient percussion frame of mind but he's not far from those original L.A.spaceways on both 'La Planète Fantastique' and 'Ólobo'. 

It's a shame 'Artist Unknown' is a little short as it's got that 'out-there' Art Ensemble of Chicago horn element (let's have an Afro-disco 12" extension edit with the quiet bit as the introduction I say) but 'Zutuma' (very Astatke) and the closing track, 'Look Beyond The Sun' (very 60s psych-LA hippy Niño) more than make up for it.

'The 6th Dimension' is the modal jazzdance killer track (the longest on the album) and worth the price of the album alone, which I'm convinced is going to be a "collectors item" (even the black one; there's a limited edition red one), so I'd get two copies if I were you.

Gerry Hectic's Interview 09.11.2009 "CARLOS NIÑO - BUILDS AN ARK IN LONDON"(see.HERE)

Artist: WEB WEB x MAX HERRE

Title: WEB MAX II

Release date: 27th October, 2023

Label : Compost Records

Catalog Number :  CPT 623 LP / Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Surya Botofasina - Everyone's Children (Spiritmuse Records)

If you're looking for an event in London next week, look no further (well, look below to be precise) as London Jazz Festival is hosting Surya Botofasina & Carlos Niño. 

If you know your Carlos Niño, you'll know that that's he's a deeply spiritual man that will love a student of the teachings of Alice Coltrane and her Ashram in California, which is by coincidence, where Surya Botofasina grew up.  

So whilst they prepare for the upcoming live gigs, the album 'Everyone's Children ' is being released by Spiritmuse Records.

This is the definitive ambient spiritual jazz album as the nine tracks are soaked in sunsine and joy, love and peace eminating from keyboards of Surya and, at times, all the delicate percussion by Carlos.

All the tracks titles allude to the gentle, reflective and meditative strength within the music and  'Beloved California Temple' has the addition of Dwight Trible sailing throught the gulf streams and swimming with the dolphins and whales.  It's all just a beatiful sound to give you new breath and rejuvinate. The other track to feature vocals is the title track which see Mia Doi Todd (who we last saw/heard 'Walking With Trees' with Bobby Lee) and she sounds great here too!

I met Niño many years ago in London opposite Rough Trade East and he mostly talked about his love of swimming in the Pacific (he was living in San Diego at the time) and being close to nature and his time with his son, with whom his was DJing with on his radio show, as he was going through his "60's period" of rediscovering The Beatles.

This would have been around 2011 at same the time of Niño's Build An Ark project was in full flow with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson when Niño first suggested Surya lead his own project.  I think we could safely say that 'Everyone's Children' is a long awaited album and it's definitely something all concerned should be very proud of as it's even "bigger than The Beatles!"

Artist: Surya Botofasina 

Title: Everyone's Children

Release date: 4th November, 2022

Label : Spiritmuse Records

Catalog Number : 2xLP vinyl Gatefold w/ obi / CD / Cassette / Digital

Tour Dates

Nov. 10th: London / Brilliant Corners listening event of the new album by Surya Botofasina, 'Everyone's Children'. 

Nov. 11th: London / UK - London Jazz Fest - Surya Botofasina & Carlos Niño

Nov. 12th: Utrecht / NL - Le Guess Who? - Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau, Carlos Niño with Special Guests 

Dec. 9th: Brooklyn, New York - Public Records with Carlos Niño, Surya Botofasina, Laraaji, Photay, William Alexander Logan