Nick Walters: an eastern musical expedition called Padmāsana

The dawn continues to be the connection between the beauty of the unknown and the new awakening. In the duality of life - the one we live and the one we imagine - it is possible to cross this path even in muddy waters. The only essential thing is to choose the right music: a mix of jazz fusion, electronic, and traditional Indian sounds.

"This recording explores India through the sounds one may encounter while traveling there." The words are from trumpet player Nick Walters, who takes us on a voyage to Eastern culture whit his latest production. "Padmāsana, the title of the album, refers to the lotus position, which holds great significance in the practice of yoga."

Padmāsana is constructed from experiences and samples Nick encountered while traveling around India. "The sounds I was hearing inspired me, so I took a little portable recorder with me. I was recording a lot of different interesting sounds coming across." A lotus seed can withstand thousands of years without water, able to germinate over centuries later. Similarly, the samples recorded by Walters had to wait to bloom. "It wasn’t my intention to do some recordings but after listening back to them it just develops naturally from them after realizing that there were some really strong recordings and then it just appears perfect experimentation trying to work in some kind of tracks."

In the album, Walters' sonic journey through India is not just a collection of random aspects, but a wide exploration of the culture and traditions of the country. "I encountered so many different sounds all the time. Some of these were musicians, and people passing on the streets, I was also taking a lot of yoga classes when I was there, so one of the recordings was one of a yoga teacher I had a lesson with, he was singing some kind of prayers at the end of the lesson, so I asked him if I can record him singing. The recordings are more kind of atmospheric, longest samples capturing some of the background noise."

On this voyage through India, we can appreciate the diverse blend of musical genres found in Padmāsana, making it the perfect album to kick off the night. "I have been strongly influenced by the meditative side of things, but also very influenced by electronic and dance music over the years, so it was good to incorporate some of these electronic beats into the album's style."

At the age of nine, Nick started playing the trumpet and was heavily influenced by jazz legends. As he grew older, his musical experience expanded into the electronic world. "When I was a kid, I had a very influential teacher who introduced me to jazz music. In more recent years, I started using virtual synths on the computer, and then moved on to a couple of analog synths, which allowed me to be more experimental with my music." On the journey of life, all musical genres are welcomed. "I like all kinds of music, from all over the spectrum, and part of the deal for me is putting together things from very different angles and trying to create something new by combining different things."

This album is also unequivocal proof that it's always better to be accompanied. The recording session features Tenderlonious on flute, Kieran McLeod on trombone, and Tim Carnegie on drums. "The song Goa is an example of that," Nick explains. "It represents a walk on the beach where you have sounds of the waves, sounds of people talking, having a good time as well just a beach atmosphere." The lotus position represents the journey toward inner peace, enlightenment, and spiritual growth: a trip to celebrate music and enjoy the landscapes.