This week offers our spirits three moments of sonic discovery with Openness Trio.
On Sunday we gather in one of LA’s largest and longest-running record shops for a final evening of improvisation and co-composition with guitarist Nate Mercereau, saxophonist Josh Johnson, and percussionist Carlos Niño. Pull up to support a pillar of West LA’s music community, pick up a copy of Openness Trio and fill your arms with other realms and records to inhabit, and celebrate this wide-open collaborative album out now on the legendary Blue Note Records.
Can’t wait for the Sunday gathering? Consider joining us a little further east on Thursday evening for a performance in the ongoing native habitat restoration site of the Audubon Center at Debs Park, or, Saturday evening on a 16-acre orchard in the Ojai Valley where a portion of the album was recorded.
Take a deep breath, call out of work, pack a blanket, do what you need to do, and we’ll see you here.
Openness Trio is the debut album by a unique collective comprised of guitarist and producer Nate Mercereau, saxophonist Josh Johnson, and percussionist Carlos Niño.
Free-thinking creators who bring a depth of experience from wide-ranging collaborations with the likes of André 3000, Meshell Ndegeocello, Kamasi Washington, Shabaka, Jeff Parker, SML, Makaya McCraven, and many more, the trio presents a profound musical offering born of deep communication, immersive emoting, exploration, discovery, and trust.
The album is five recordings from five different sessions all around Los Angeles and Ventura county – outdoors in the hills of Ojai with a view of the Topatopa Mountains, an intimate living room setting in Elysian Park, in an Oak Tree Cathedral at the Churchill Orchard in Ojai, a Garden of Electronics in the courtyard of an Echo Park home, and a recording session under a pepper tree at Elsewhere in Topanga Canyon.
Record Surplus is a leading independent record store located in West LA. Founded in 1985, Record Surplus is one of the largest & longest running record shops in Los Angeles, with over 100,000 vinyl records and cd’s in-store.
More than just a shop, Record Surplus is a vibrant part of the Los Angeles music community. They host free live music performances, supports local music non profits, raise funds annually to support public radio, and are a neighborhood staple.