PBJ is a band that formed over a year ago with Boris on guitar, Pato on bass, and Jon on drums. The initials became the name, which also playfully nods to the classic “peanut butter and jelly” sandwich—simple ingredients that, when combined, create something unexpectedly delicious and satisfying.
This is a band that improvises and creates music in the moment, with the crowd serving as both witness and active participant. Rather than performing pre-written songs, we step into the unknown together every night. We decided to capture this pure process by filming and recording a full concert, turning it into a genuine live album created in front of the audience. We never know what we will play, and that unpredictability is what excites us most: transmitting a raw, unfiltered sound that has never been written before—one that breaks free from the habitual patterns our brains tend to follow.
The Science of Being Present in the Moment
Improvisation is one of the purest expressions of presence. When musicians improvise, the brain shifts out of default “planning” and “self-monitoring” modes and enters a state of heightened awareness and flow. Neuroscientific studies using fMRI on jazz musicians and freestyle rappers show that during deep improvisation:
Activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (associated with self-criticism and conscious control) decreases.
The medial prefrontal cortex and areas linked to creativity and autobiographical memory become more active.
There is increased connectivity between sensory, motor, and emotional regions—allowing real-time integration of what is heard, felt, and intuitively known.
This is closely related to flow state , where time seems to distort, self-consciousness fades, and the performer becomes fully merged with the action. In this state, the brain releases more dopamine and endorphins, creating feelings of joy, timelessness, and deep connection.
Being truly present also activates mirror neurons—the systems that allow performers and audience members to emotionally and neurologically “sync up.” This is why a live improvised show can feel almost telepathic: the crowd’s energy, breathing, movement, and reactions literally shape what the musicians play next, creating a shared, co-created experience that can never be replicated.
Mindfulness research further shows that training ourselves to stay in the present moment (as improvisation demands) reduces activity in the brain’s default mode network (the “mind-wandering” circuit linked to anxiety).
The show in Casa Chico Zapote in Tulum
We planned the concert with Casa Chico Zapote, a beautiful new event space and cultural center in Tulum, Mexico. On the day we arrived, we faced numerous technical and logistical issues with the recording of the album that felt almost impossible—yet everything resolved in the final moments, magically, allowing the evening to be fully documented in both film and audio. Thanks to amazing crew we had of the camera, sound and the Casa Chico Zapote team.
We are proud to release the first video from that night, with the full album and complete footage coming very soon. Angels appeared in human form to support us, such a live painter and a live dancer, and the spirit of the jam—equal parts chaos and surrender—became the true inspiration. It was extraordinary to witness the moment unfolding with the crowd; we all shared something unrepeatable, will stay forever in our memories.
Here is one short video from the night.
Thank you and enjoy your weekend.
Boris M.