Carlos Nio & Friends Extra Presence

Description

EXTRA PRESENCE is a 90 minute, 17-track collection showcasing Los Angeles modern music scene pioneer Carlos Nios unique, highly developed, self-described Spiritual, Improvisational, Space Collage sound, and featuring an incredible cast of collaborators (including Jamael Dean, Nate Mercereau, Shabazz Palaces, Deantoni Parks, Sam Gendel, Laraaji, Jamire Williams, Iasos, and more). It’s an expanded edition of a 10-track suite called ‘Actual Presence’ that Nio self-released exclusively via his Bandcamp page in 2020.

In 2020, when the world entered into lockdown, Carlos engaged in his studio in Woodland Hills, CA, where he pored over tapes from past improv sessions. One in particular stuck out, a February 2019 Just Jazz gig with Devin Daniels, Jamael Dean, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and Randy Gloss. On stage that night, hed been confused and uncomfortable, he didnt understand his relationship with an audience. I had a revelation that night, he says. What I present in concert is sonic journeyingnot a set of songs, or a program, or a performative energy.

Using the Just Jazz tapes as a guide, he mixed and remixed, overdubbed synthesizer and pulled from his extensive battery of percussion instruments. He invited his collaboratorshis friends, though we should all be so lucky to have friends as talented as theseto add their own overdubs, then, working the controls, he turned out a collection of songs that seem to have entire worlds encased within them. He worked with a sense of necessity. The urgency was to share a message, he says, that we would get through this. – International Anthem