Saul Williams meets Carlos Niño & Friends at TreePeople (International Anthem)

The Slow Music Movement
Sep 6
1 min read

Updated: Sep 7

*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's September 3rd Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***

Saul Williams and Carlos Niño stand on a grassy hillside. One wears a red hat and holds a stick, the other a scarf and gloves. Cloudy sky in the background.

Another week and another live album tip, who would have thought? Not me. It does help that Saul Williams, who pretty much single handedly introduced New York’s slam poetry scene to the world around the turn of the century, is front and centre speaking his truths of historical and present day injustice and the decline of everything. Carlos Niño is also no stranger to the blog, having either orchestrated or been involved in so many great jazz and jazz adjacent project the last ten years or so, and when you see Carlos Niño and Friends you know you better check who his mates are - Nate Mercereau and Kamasi Washington amongst others in this case, not bad for a sound ceremony underneath oak and black walnut trees in Coldwater Canyon Park, Los Angeles, on December 18, 2024.

Sound ceremony is the operative phrase by the way. Driving percussion is eschewed in favour of rattles and shakers - everyones got them; the guitar synth, sampler, flute, vibraphone, conch shell and sax players tune into the flora spirits around them, descending through the tree roots to offer apologies to Gaia, but also looking up to get a glimpse of the spirit world portals their ancestors have prised open to witness the most spiritual jazz sound bath since Alice Coltrane’s ashram years. It’s a deep, meaningful listen, pull up a chair.