MetalJazz

All Carlos Niño's trips are one expansive trip; they just have different scenery. On his birthday evening, we got a sampling of the percussionist-mixer-broadcaster's colorful itinerary.

In the beginning, as usual, we weren't sure where we were. Waking from a dream? Floating in space? Gurgling in the womb? Niño's leafy shakers and pan drum and the sliding guitar electronix of Nate Mercereau fell into support mode as Andres Renteria's congas established a safari stroll along with Niño's floor toms. Carlos has developed a deft wrist flick with those mallets in recent years, and his communion with Renteria, born of long acquaintance, showed conversational ease.

From Mercereau's psychic screams to Aaron Shaw's celebratory Pharoah Sanders-like tenor riffing, we cycled through a variety of rhythmic breathing exercises and meditative pauses, often playing the game of What's That Sound? The pedals of Mercereau (guitar) and Shaw (Electronic Wind Instrument) would toss up a bass foundation or a space loop or a tweaky chitter, and we couldn't tell which dude was doin' it, even with spyglasses. Though effects have become natural extensions of modern musicians' vocabulary, let's not forget foundational talents such as Aaron Shaw's ability to tell a story and make a statement (and make variations thereupon) with his acoustic sax.

This was music to take back with us into the world, to look back on and think about how hard and how evil everything doesn't have to be.

Dwight Trible joined in at the end for abstract vocalizing, deep slow breathing, birthday greetings to Carlos, and a demonstration of a microphone's superfluity when the spirit pours strong. Ho-bop-eh-ooo-eee-aaah-ommm, amen.


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Watch this concert here. In addition to streams, the World Stage is now fully open for in-person attendance. Contribute to the World Stage here.

Listen to and purchase the music of Carlos Niño, Rob Mazurek, Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven and other International Anthem artists here.