Nubya Garcia - Odyssey

Released 13th September 2024

SK says: “The British saxophonist widens the lens on her sophomore album as leader, with lush string arrangements offering a distinct, London-flavoured take on the kind of expansive cosmic jazz that Kamasi Washington has embodied on the other side of the pond.”

Nubya Garcia isnt an artist you can easily classify. Is it jazz? Sure, the London-born saxophonist, composer and bandleader grew up studying the genre under the noted pianist Nikki Yeoh at Camden Music. But it isnt until you listen to albums like 2020s Source and 2024s Odyssey that you hear broader creativity shining through: Its jazz, classical, dub, R&B and whatever else Garcia wants to convey. It all comes from a place of exploration and self-study, of wanting to do all the things across all disciplines while ignoring arbitrary boxes that dont.