3Below – Live in Mérida (7d Media, 2024)
3Below is a trio of virtuoso instrumentalists that collaborate to develop remarkable improvised musical pieces. The lineup includes Michael Manring, a renowned Hyperbass creator and Jaco Pastorius protégé; Trey Gunn, a Warr guitarist and King Crimson alumnus; and Alonso Arreola, a Mexican bassist, poet, and writer. This recording introduces the trio in a live performance context.
Live in Mérida was recorded on November 5, 2023, at the Palacio de la Música in Mérida, Yucatán (Mexico). It highlights the group’s technical sill and cross-cultural inspiration, drawing from jazz, progressive rock, Mexican folk and other global influences. Special guest Emmanuel Pina joins the trio on oud, adding a layer of Middle Eastern music.
The seeds of 3Below were planted during a transformative journey to Mali in 2012, where Gunn and Arreola, accompanied by Gunn’s daughter Harper, immersed themselves in the region’s rich musical traditions. Armed with baritone ukuleles, the pair connected with local master drummers and ngoni players, participating in lessons and jam sessions across Bamako, Ségu, Mopti, Djenné, and the Dogon. A late-night festival in Begnemato, featuring the village’s king and queen, further deepened their connection to West African arts and culture.
This cultural exchange became the foundation for 3Below’s sound. The addition of Michael Manring, known for his dazzling solo performances and impeccable ensemble skills, elevated their vision, creating a cascade of sounds that integrates elements from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
3Below’s live shows are structured into distinct segments. The first half is acoustic, with Arreola and Gunn using ukuleles and acoustic bass to explore nuanced and earthy tones. The second half transitions to electric instrumentation, featuring solo highlights from both Gunn and Manring along with transfixing moments.
Live in Mérida, released on November 11, 2024, captures this acoustic/electric duality and the group’s cohesive energy, technical expertise and cross-cultural influences.
Musicians: Alonso Arreola on percussive electroacoustic & electric basses; Trey Gunn on Warr guitar, baritone ukulele; Michael Manring on fretless basses, caxixi shaker; and Emmanuel Pina on oud.
Live sound: Nelson Sánchez
Staff: Carlos Jiménez, Cachi Zazueta
Road manager: Tania Martínez Baca
Cover photo by Rodrigo Lemus
Cover Art: Mayra Díaz, César Benítez
Package design: A.J. Chippero
Mixed by Trey Gunn at 7d Studios
Buy Live in Mérida.