Label: Concord Jazz, 2020
Personnel - Nubya Garcia: tenor saxophone; Joe Armon-Jones: piano, Wurlitzer; Daniel Casimir: double bass; Sam Jones: drums + Ms Maurice: trumpet; Akenya: vocals; Cassie Kinoshi: vocals; Richie Seivwright: vocals + La Perna [Giovanna Mogollon: tambor alegre, vocals; Karen Forero: tambora, vocals; Diana Sanmiguel: guacharaca, maracas, vocals].
Following a pair of successful EPs, London-born saxophonist Nubya Garcia finally presents her full-length debut, Source. This collection of nine strongly flavored originals focuses on individual and collective power, being delivered in the company of her working quartet plus guests on selected tracks. Garcia, whose penchant for mixing spiritual jazz with soul music and smooth funk is remarkably effortless, opens the album with “Pace”, where cadenced bass pedals further expose the inherent spirituality and sturdy modal flair from the 1970’s. Preceding the deliberately tangled excursion of pianist Joe Armon-Jones, Garcia's reverb-drenched solo reaches higher peaks of eloquence here than on “The Message Continues”, a fluid maturation into neo-soul, rhythmically anchored by Daniel Casimir’s propulsive funky bass and Sam Jones’ colorful drumming.
Garcia’s eclecticism is patented on several numbers: “Source”, a Wurlitzer-soaked piece which was previously included on her When We Are EP and now arrives with explicit reggae and dub ambiances; “Stand With Each Other”, a riff-driven number rooted in the African tradition and featuring vocalists Cassie Kinoshi, Richie Seiwright, and Ms Maurice, who doubles on trumpet; “La Cumbia Me Está Llamando”, which takes us to Latin American territories with the help of La Perna, a female Colombian trio of percussionists/vocalists; and “Before Us: In Demerara & Caura”, in which an enchanting Afro-Cuban pianism entwines with a conscious post-bop lucidity. Besides the snappy unisons populating its head, the latter piece features Garcia in a warm, motivic and astoundingly pronounced improvisation.
Contrasting with the organic, dub-tinged expressions of “Inner Game”, “Together is a Beautiful Place” provides tender moments loaded with a soul-infused vibe that recalls Kamasi Washington.
Garcia doesn’t hide her admiration for Coltrane, Rollins and Shorter. However, she uses those influences and many more to create non-conflicting layers of sound that are entirely her own. This is where jazz tradition works with modern and eclectic sounds to explore new trends and currents.
Grade B+
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Pace ► 02 - The Message Continues ► 08 - Before Us: In Demerara & Caura