Mestizo - Mestizo (Album) + 10 Questions

For the past four years, British-Caribbean bandleader and saxophonist Ahnansé and Colombian label head and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Michel have been building a musical bridge between their two worlds, creating a beguiling new interpretation of Colombian folk traditions, London jazz and hip-hop. The culmination of their efforts comes in their uniquely energetic self-titled debut album, Mestizo, released via Mais Um on 5th May 2023.

“It’s in the name itself, since Mestizo means ‘mixed’ and is a term for people of mixed heritage in Colombia,” Ahnansé says. “The purpose of the project is to see what you can build from a cultural mix, to create a musical family between countries that means even though we don't share the same language, when we play music together, we are speaking to each other.”

Lead single ‘Arroyo’ is a perfect example of this communicative fusion. Opening on a hard-edged hip-hop rhythm, bolstered by horn fanfares and tenacious verses from Colombian rapper N.Hardem, British trumpeter Grifton Forbes-Amos intertwines with his Colombian counterpart Salomé Gomez Burbano to produce a lyrical solo that traverses afrobeat and salsa melody, before leaning into a grime-referencing refrain from UK vocalist Shantéh.

Ahnansé and Daniel first met in 2019, as part of a British Council-supported project to bring British jazz musicians to Colombia for an improvised performance with local players at Bogotá’s Jazz al Parque Festival. Over five days of collaboration, Daniel and Ahnansé drew on their roles as incubators for independent talent in their respective cities of London and Bogotá. Both artists have created their own hubs of collaboration, with Ahnansé founding the award-winning Southeast London collective Steam Down and bringing with him proponents of the UK jazz revival including tuba player Theon Cross and saxophonist Nubya Garcia. Daniel, meanwhile, has spent the past decade revitalising Colombian musical traditions with his label Mambo Negro, masterminding his group La BOA’s afrobeat and cumbia fusion, as well as releasing female trio La Perla’s distinctly percussive versions of kuduro and samba.

The result is Mestizo – eight tracks that artfully mix Colombian traditions of currulao and cumbia with hip-swaying salsa, head-nodding rap verses, shards of electronica and jazz improvisation. Bringing the London scene’s knack for genre-hopping to bear on a new realm of kinetic sounds, Indigenous traditions are blended with British diaspora music, producing a fusion of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, UK rap flair and percussive intensity.

For Ahnansé, some of his chosen artists came from the Steam Down stable – drummer Appiah and vocalist Shantéh – while newcomer Grifton Forbes-Amos brings youthful energy to the trumpet and keyboardist Doom Cannon rounds out the collective with his deft compositional ear. “It was a special experience for me. We recorded up in the clouds, which was magical, and each song stands out with its own sense of beauty,” Ahnansé says.

On the Colombian side, Daniel features eight artists from across the country, from producer Chambimbe’s experience recording the folk music of the Pacific coast, to Pardo’s gaita flute, which is also present on his project with British producer Quantic, Ondatropica. La Perla’s Diana Sanmiguel also contributes traditional percussion from the Caribbean coast, while MC N.Hardem represents the cutting edge of Bogotá rap and Fajardo brings his modernist take on cumbia from his group Frente Cumbiero.

Now this musical bridge has been established between continents and cultures, the musicians of Mestizo plan to continue exploring its beauty. “We will all keep building on what we have started,” Daniel says. “There is a special energy in the union of our knowledge and traditions, one that I hope to keep finding familiarity and exciting differences in.”

Mestizo sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

From before I can remember I’ve always loved music, as a child I’d always be listening to music where ever I could hear it. As for becoming a musician I fell in love with it at school with a couple of friends that also played instruments.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

From the current generation I love Kendrick Lamar but outside of him their are so many great artist I get to work with and collaborate with I really couldn’t ask for more. Other notable artist I feel would be be Wayne Shorter (saxophonist & composer) and Fela Kuti.

3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

Well we have our first Mestizo record coming out this year which I’m super excited about and other than that a couple of Steam Down things I’m working on.

4. How would you describe your sound?

Afro Infinitism, Alternative Afro Music or Afro Psyche would be some of the labels I’d put on it but really it’s music from the spirit, from the core of my being.  Nowadays in London we’d call it the source but it really is something transcendental and intangible that you know exists because you can feel it but really you can’t describe it completely in words.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

My proudest moment is always the thing I’m creating as I’m always growing with each creation. So it’s an going process, it’s a journey. I try and enjoy the journey daily because in the end this is all that matters in life. The point between the beginning and the end is where you get to experience the magic of existence.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Don’t play the game, instead think how can I share what I create with the people that want to hear it. Everything is not for everyone but something is for someone. Find the ones.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

Everyone in the Uk scene, there are so many young musicians that are out here being creative I can’t choose one especially since my whole mission is about build community with both musicians and the audience. All I have to say is I love what I see being created in the scene and more power to all the young creatives.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Mr.Morales & the Big Steppas and Donda.

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

I love nature, fruits, exploring different cultures, think about things, imagining what could be if we let go of all the ideas blocking us and chose to live a life according to the law of nature. Sometime I think we feel like we are separate to what we have been created from and this doesn’t make sense to me. Outside of that I chill and watch Netflix like everyone else.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

Light, Fruit or a Smoothie and Good People.

Mestizo 2023 live UK dates:

5th May - Bristol – Bristol Beacon

6th May – Manchester – Band On The Wall 

7th May – London – Village Underground (as part of La Linea Festival)