Beginner’s Mind

The name Danny Mayer will likely ring a bell to anyone immersed in the modern funk, jazz, and jam scenes, as he has risen as a sought after guitarist performing with the likes of Eric Krasno Band, Star Kitchen, Alan Evans Trio and leading his own group On the Spot Trio. ‘Beginner’s Mind’ is Mayer’s first solo venture piqued by curiosity and downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a common theme of open-mindedness, universal virtue, and humility to forge down uncharted territory, ‘Beginners Mind’ finds Mayer at the helm on production and showcasing his multi-instrumentalist talent. The lead single “Basic Goodness” is grounded in Mayer’s home base of old-school psychedelic funk with a drum loop lent by collaborator Colin Jalbert. The title is inspired by the concept that all humans are wired to experience joy through simplistic elements like color and sound and provide needs for basic human survival. The spacious, mind-bending psychedelic dub track, “Upsetter” serves as a homage to the late dub icon Lee “Scratch” Perry. With hypnotic afro-soul chill-outs like “Sangha” to the meditative, lo-fi inspired penultimate track “Zen Mind,” ‘Beginner’s Mind’ is a karmic equation of Mayer’s multitude of influences that display the here, now, and what’s to come down the path of his introspective musical journey.