The name of Nubya garcia has continued to appear in the mouths of contemporary jazz enthusiasts for a few years. It must be said that the young British saxophonist has a series of successful collaborations. Pledge of this, his first EP Nubya’s 5ive is exhausted in 24 hours, as for the second, When We Are, he is praised by the press.
The output of Source August 21 thus puts an end to the impatient expectation of its audience. For my part I discovered Nubya Garcia in 2017 on the track “Tanner’s Tango” published on the EP Idiom of Maxwell Owin and Joe Armon-Jones. The latter appears on this first album, not as a guest, as I would have thought, but as the keyboardist of the group formed by Garcia which also includes the double bass player. Daniel Casimir and the drummer Sam Jones.
The musician’s influences are varied, both geographically and musically. She is inspired by the London jazz scene, Venezuelan and Guyanese melodies and rhythms – notably in “Before Us: in Demerara & Caura” where she incorporates folk songs from Guyana – or Colombian with the title “La Cumbia me está llamando », Performed with the percussionist and singer of La Perla, Diana San Miguel.
Second single, “Source” is the song that stands out the most for its dub tones. Composed with Ms Maurice (voice, trumpet), Cassie Kinoshi (voice, saxophone) and Richie Seivwright, this track to be listened to on soundsystem risks displeasing jazz aficionados à la Sidney Bechet. The disc ends in style with the title “Boundless Beings”, which opens with the deep and bewitching voice of the singer. Akenya.
In this album, Garcia honors musicians from the current jazz world because, as she likes to recall, she is not the only woman to play jazz. “Stand With Each Other”, in collaboration with the singers Richie Sievwright, Cassie Kinoshi and Sheila Matrice-Gray (members of Kokoroko), perfectly illustrates this commitment, this feminine solidarity. This piece with oriental resonances tinged with vocal harmonies, between reggae and R’n’B, recalls the Wailers.
Through the names of his compositions, it is a call to cohesion, to struggle, to living together and to the community that Nubya Garcia launches. This very personal and intimate first disc (in particular “Together is a Beautiful Place to Be”) refers to its origins, its history and its identity. An album that was worth the wait!
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