Much more insightful as an overall representation of the bigger stylistic spread of what Nubya Garcia is about than the much lauded Source, Odyssey covers a larger canvas than other standout sax-led UK jazz this year whether Trish Clowes and Ross Stanley's fulfilling Journey to Where and - although there are strings from the Chineke Orchestra tightly arranged on 'Water's Path' - certainly less strictly chamber jazz and differently arranged than Cassie Kinoshi Seed Ensemble's fine approach on Gratitude,
Muldrow - momentous
Londoner Garcia's best work to date this is out next month there's plenty of serenity and a contrastive bustling motion. The sound, mainly spiritual-jazz, shaped around convincingly measured sax statements, is more contemporary in terms of an amalgam of jazz and crossover commercial styles than either of the above cited albums.
R&B and dub feed in and guests include US jazz star Esperanza Spalding and compatriot singer Georgia Anne Muldrow who is on the most momentous track of all - the dub and faith soaked 'We Walk in Gold' where there's superb anthemic response to the vocal statements of Muldrow from Garcia and thunderous drumming from Sam Jones.
Big beat
Ezra Collective keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones is also among the personnel as is bassist Daniel Casimir whose own new album Balance we reviewed recently. Casimir contributes a lot to the big beat of the striking 7 minute-plus title track. Most of all there's a sense of authority from Garcia important in buying into the sound whether passively snacking on Spotify or experiencing the full feast of jazz that the entirety of the album provides.
Nubya Garcia plays the ICA on 19 September. Three album tracks are now streaming. Photo: Danika Lawrence
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