Nutria Urbana by Maya Makeshift

I'd lie if I said this music is mine; this body is just a vessel.

Excluding a clip from the Mojave Desert and Otter Hill, this album was recorded in my bedroom. At times, with my eyes closed and my heart open; just like dandelions, my love can't flourish if possessed. This blues couldn't be worded-out, but couldn't be kept inside either, so I rested my hands on the keys, turned the power on, and bless the gods for helping me turn the mic on too. Those first two iphone recordings became, "Reno" and then "Catalyst”. I write the most beautiful songs when I’m sad because when I look back and listen closely, I hear love.

The love you give is eternal.

This is not my first recording, nor my first album, but it captures a change in my approach to music-making. I've played music all my life: for expression, for approval, for therapy, for boredom, for curiosity, for fun, for myself, for others, for the ego. What's the purpose of life? What's the point of a career, money, music, anything. A few months ago I would've said that the point of music was to bring people together, to make the comfortable uncomfortable, and the uncomfortable comfortable. Now, I laid defeated with the bitter-sweet embrace of nihilism --uninspired, suicidal, and numb. There is no point.

At one of the last shows before the lockdown, a friend and virtuous musician, Victor from Astral Jubilee, told me his next show was a one-person show. I asked him where it was, and what time. He said it was in his yard, but it was only gonna be him. I nodded and said I didn't mind if the rest of the band wasn't playing, I would still love to see his solo performance. It's funny, cause he meant I wasn't invited... as a matter of fact no one was, it was just going to be him. With this energy, I forced myself out of my despair spiral: I turned the lights off, closed my eyes, and threw my hands into the unknown. I recorded that performance and called it "Day 1".

The point of playing music... is playing music.

I am eternally grateful for all of the wonderful people I've played with and for and I want to thank and recognize my friends at Leimert Park Village, with whom I have drummed my way to Source; Playing with these giants on Juneteenth was my biggest stage and ever since that day the "Spirits of Degnan" took over. La "Luna de Mojave" shined on me, and the spirits from the desert greeted me for a full moon drum circle on July 4.

My friend Lula told me our purpose here is to be "Protectors" of our people. I've learned through sea otters, the "Guardians of the Kelp Forest", about the dances of nature. There are consequences to upsetting the balance of our world; When keystone species like sea otters, or ecosystem engineers like beavers are killed because of humans, food webs and entire habitats collapse -- without biodiversity, the equilibrium is fragile. We are part of the food web, not beyond it. We are all linked to one another. Victoria, I am thankful for "Our Link in the Web" and another beautiful song that came with it, there's only love for you. May the spirit of the otter keep your shoulders light and keep you playful, I have a feeling this spirit is called "Nutria Urbana".

And YOU, reading this right now, I love you too.

You know, I've had many intense experiences during my life that I am grateful for. The people I've met, the challenges I've faced, and the risks I've taken took me to where I am today. It took me my whole life to get here. Last year, my dad died in a helicopter crash, which sent me through a spiral where I jumped into the world of jazz, then stumbled, then danced, and finally blew for my life with the saxophone. Jazz can nourish the soul, but also the ego, and every day you gotta choose which one you are going to feed.

Many manic runs have kept me in the music game, playing in stages I never even dreamt of, with musicians that both scare and inspire me.
The last song I recorded is "BME", which started as Big Mingus Energy, but it also goes for Maya, or Martin, or Makeshift, or something else with the word M, lowkey BDE. Despite the stretches I've made, to this day there is much trauma, insecurity, and judgment in me, and it has jaded me to the point where I stopped singing, and I stopped dancing. In this song, I sing again for I know the demons I am fighting will bring me wisdom. Music is a battlefield, it is life or death. I write this after playing for 14-hours to the full moon and the rising sun of the desert. The gods have blessed me and my path, and I will meet my destiny.

Friend, this album ain't mine so don't be tricked by my name, it's just a placeholder anyway... it's makeshift. It all came from elsewhere, and it seeks no money, so if money comes I'll move it along.

I leave you with this...

The time is now to do what you came here to do, may you find greatness and humility with it. Ashe


~ Maya Makeshift


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NUTRIA URBANA

INSTRUMENTS:
Synth [X50]
Tenor Sax [YTS-62]
Soprano Sax [S-992]
Guitar [G2655T]
Bass [TMB100]
Trumpet [700S]
Djembe [MM-75]

RECORDING:
Amplifier [Acoustic 118]
Amplifier [Mustang IV]
Microphone [Shure SM57]
Microphone [iPhone 7]
Interface [UM2]
DAW [Live 9]


Mastered by Barry Fowler
Artwork by Victoria Serna

Featuring recordings of The Otter Hill Orchestra, and The Womb.

Your local otter.

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