"On a quiet Tuesday night in April, three musicians-Max Ridley, Eleanor Elektra, and Nat Mugavero-gathered at The Lilypad in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for an evening of deep improvisation. What unfolded was Playing, Praying-an intimate,...
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Sample The Album:
Max Ridley-double bass, voice
Eleanor Elektra-guitar, voice
Nat Mugavero-drums, voice
Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.
UPC: 755491354377
Label: 577 Records
Catalog ID: CD-577R-5992-1
Squidco Product Code: 36997
Format: CDR
Condition: New
Released: 2025
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack
Recorded at The Lilypad, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 29th, 2025, by Nnenna Eze.
"On a quiet Tuesday night in April, three musicians-Max Ridley, Eleanor Elektra, and Nat Mugavero-gathered at The Lilypad in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for an evening of deep improvisation. What unfolded was Playing, Praying-an intimate, continuous recording that captures the trio's shared devotion to sound, silence, and spirit.
The album was recorded live as the trio improvised from the heart, pausing only for moments of silence-now preserved as their own tracks. These spaces between sounds hold as much weight as the music itself, offering listeners an experience where stillness becomes part of the composition.
At 89 years old, drummer and percussionist Nat Mugavero embodies both joy and reverence. His playing radiates a childlike wonder and sacred energy that defies his years. Between the music, Mugavero can often be heard whispering prayers of thanks-recentering himself and ensuring each note arises from a place of devotion and love.
Eleanor Elektra's improvisational voice flows with the same structural integrity and poetic clarity as her composed works. Her contributions unfold with intention and openness, shaping spontaneous forms that interlace seamlessly with those of her collaborators. The result is a soundscape where individuality and unity coexist in perfect balance.
Bassist Max Ridley anchors Playing, Praying with a grounding presence that connects musical worlds. Known for his generous spirit and ability to bring artists together, Ridley serves as a conduit for creative relationships that extend far beyond a single performance.
Together, the trio's chemistry is palpable. Playing, Praying is more than a recording-it's a document of musical communion, an offering of openness, spirit, and love. The artists hope that the energy born in that moment continues to ripple outward, touching listeners in whatever way it needs to."-577 Records
Artist Biographies
• Show Bio for Max Ridley "Max Ridley is musician, composer and educator based in Boston. He first started participating in music by singing in the school choir and playing bass guitar in a punk band after school. He began his formal studies in high school at the Boston Arts Academy and it was there that he first fell in love with improvised music and the upright bass. While at Boston Arts Academy, he was selected out of many other young musicians to perform at Boston's Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops three years in a row. Also during these years, he joined the Berklee City Music program and was able to travel to New York to play for Quincy Jones and his foundation. He was awarded full-tuition scholarships to study at Berklee College of Music for both an undergraduate and graduate degree, earning his graduate degree from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute under the direction of master pianist and educator Danilo Perez. An equally important part of his education was down the street from Berklee at Boston's historic Wally's Jazz Cafe. He began going to jam sessions there in high school and more recently, has been the house bass player every Friday and Saturday night with the Jason Palmer Band. Ridley has shared the stage with renown musicians such as Jeff Coffin, Kenny Werner, Tia Fuller, Ralph Peterson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack Dejohnette, Bruce Molsky, Perico Sambeat, Walter Smith III and Jerry Bergonzi. He has performed in venues such as the Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Umbria Jazz Festival. He has played many different styles of music all over the US, Canada and Europe, traveling by plane and staying in hotels, as well as by van and sleeping on couches and floors. Today he is active in New England as a sideman, leader and co-leader for many different groups, both on stage and in the recording studio. He also teaches music as a guest lecturer at different colleges around New England (such as Longy School of Music and the University of New Hampshire) and at the Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts Academy. He has also spent some time living in Valencia Spain and considers that his second home and musical community." ^ Hide Bio for Max Ridley • Show Bio for Nat Mugavero Nat Mugavero is a Boston jazz drummer, known for the groups Bob Nieske 3, Bob Nieske's Wolf Soup, and Freedom of Assembly. He also has his own quartet with Dan Blake (saxophone), Leo Genovese (piano); John Lockwood (bass). ^ Hide Bio for Nat Mugavero
1/23/2026
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.
Track Listing:
1. Opening 3:34
2. Interlude 2:06
3. How Can I Explain? 3:53
4. Where 0:46
5. Horses 5:44
6. Two or Three 1:19
7. Ballad 2:53
8. Gather Together 0:34
9. When You Think of Me 4:13
10. I Am There 1:00
11. Nat Talks 7:01
12. Time Time 6:49
13. Flower Moon 2:36
14. Trishul 3:50
In Stock, Not Yet Cataloged
Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
Boston Area Improvisers
Trio Recordings
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