Jazz Articles about Anansi Trio

About Anansi Trio

Album Review

The Washington, DC based Anansi Trio create a lot of varying sounds with a deceptively simple lineup of reeds, bass and percussion. Their first album, On The Path (Anansi Trio, 2018), established their approach of mixing jazz and world rhythms based around the intricate sound of Mark Merella's combination trap drum and conga setup. This second CD continues to build on their unique combination of exotic and funky rhythms but tries out a few new wrinkles as well.

Album Review

Anansi Trio: On The Path

Read "On The Path" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
July 2, 2018

The concept of a sax-bass-drums trio is not a new one, but Washington, DC's Anansi Trio puts a new twist on the idea through Mark Merella playing what he calls a hybrid drum kit, incorporating conga drums, cymbals and parts of a trap drum set. This adds extra measures of bounce and groove to his playing and provides an exotic foundation for Matt Belzer's slippery saxophone and Larry Melton's deep bass to work from. Group originals that emerge ...

Take Five With...

Take Five With the Anansi Trio

by AAJ Staff
March 7, 2018

About Anansi Trio We are a group of like-minded musicians drawing from a wide range of musical influences. Using the language of jazz as our starting point, we use elements of Afro-Cuban and Indian music as well as other global traditions. With a diverse rhythmic approach and a focus on improvisation, we hope to put our own stamp on the American legacy known as Jazz. Instrument(s): Soprano and alto saxophones, acoustic bass and a ...