Recording of the Week, Nubya Garcia - Odyssey

Nubya Garcia grew up in a musical household in London, where her early exposure to diverse genres ignited her passion for music. She began playing the saxophone at a young age, drawing inspiration from her Caribbean heritage and the rich sounds of her environment. Attending the prestigious Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, she honed her skills and developed a deep appreciation for jazz.

During her formative years, Garcia immersed herself in London's vibrant jazz scene, collaborating with fellow musicians and gaining invaluable experience, all of which have lead up to her latest album Odyssey. A compounding of her musical language, her long-awaited second release is a jazz, R&B, and dub-infused collection with expansive orchestral arrangements. Along with Joe Armon-Jones (keys), Daniel Casimir (bass) and Sam Jones (drums), Garcia journeys through new directions and beginnings, with special guests including Esperanza Spalding and Georgia Anne Muldrow. 

‘Dawn’ begins with lush strings and introduces Esperanza Spalding to the listener, shortly followed by the mimicking tone of the tenor saxophone. A gradual intensifying forward direction, pushed by Casimir’s bass bubbling in the background, fractures into a fluid display of musicality and power from the rhythm section for Armon-Jones’ solo: a resolute opening, and a snippet of what the album offers.

The title track ‘Odyssey’ is a furious beast, intently pushed by Sam Jones on drums, the music continuously building and aching to reach a peak. The tenor medley soars over the battle, receding to a full-bodied string resolution. Later we hear ‘Odyssey (Outerlude)’, where a sense of calmness is induced through the returning strings and Garcia’s shimmering upper register. A menacing bass riff kicks off ‘Solstice’ before launching into a tirade of rhythm. The melody and solo glide above a constant cog of moving parts.

Garcia’s influences are highlighted with the free-flowing hip-hop track ‘Set It Free’; subdued in comparison to the opening numbers, it still provides a layered complexity, coupled with a fresh new sound which intrigues and captivates the ear. Casimir’s bass bounces throughout, conjuring up the image of a late-night jazz set. The quartal sounds of McCoy Tyner, permeated with dub, abound on ‘The Seer’. Vivacious and vociferous from start to finish, a special nod must go to Sam Jones’ unabating drumming which musically ignites his fellow band members. 

There is a textural shift mid-way through the album with ‘We Walk In Gold’, a haunting melody underpinned by the hushed rhythm section before exploding into a congruous segment. ‘Water’s Path’ is a gem amid gems, a new pathway for Garcia in writing, arranging and directing a string orchestra (Chineke! Orchestra). An orchestration of pizzicato strings and the profound sound of a cello is a courageous decision that pays dividends to the shape of the album. A delicate composition, ‘Clarity’ offers an abundance of sounds: lucid tenor tone, flowing strings, pattering drums, and an ‘oaky rich’ double bass.

A chapter for the tenorist and composer to show the lyrical and soulful string to her bow, ‘Triumphance’ fuses two worlds to create ‘dub-jazz’, featuring spoken words from Garcia before slowing into an electronic echo chamber. A detachment from the preceding tracks, it's perhaps intended to relax away from the cinematic alleyways ventured into previously.

Odyssey feels like an outpouring of ideas from Nubya Garcia, driven to greater heights by the free-flowing support of Armon-Jones, Casimir and Jones. The writing for this release may be a leap into the unknown for Garcia; however, it displays a wide scope of imagery and the confidence to push the boundaries. It is evident that special attention has been put into the cohesion of the album, the perfect amount of heavy-hitting tracks balanced with bliss-whispering architecture. Upon first listening, it feels like a slow-burner - designed to allow the listener to re-listen and explore the plethora of ideas, dotted across a creative compositional journey.