Jan 24 2020
Best of 2019 #46: Nérija – “Blume”
There’s so much joy that emanates from this music. It’s irresistible, and, really, why would you even want to resist? But it’s more than that. The way grooves advance forward in unison and how melodies are cast like rays of sunlight beaming in all directions and how the musicians become entwined in a harmonic embrace, this joy has a shared quality, as if sprung from a collective, a collective joy that makes it easy to envision others enjoying this music at the same moment as yourself. This is the kind of experience that makes a live performance so special, of mainlining great music like so much happiness and being surrounded by people doing no different. The 2019 release from Nérija brings that collective experience, that shared joy, right into the home. And that is something truly special.
Your album personnel: Nubya Garcia (tenor saxophone), Sheila Maurice-Grey (trumpet), Cassie Kinoshi (alto saxophone), Rosie Turton (trombone), Shirley Tetteh (guitar), Lizy Exell (drums), and Rio Kai (bass).
Released on Domino Recording Co.
Music from London, UK.
I wrote about this album for The Bandcamp Daily.
Robert Middleton
January 24, 2020 @ 6:23 pm
Hey Dave, glad to see you’re tuned into the music from the London Jazz Scene. This might be my favorite music right now. And anything with Nubya Garcia goes to the top of the list, including this. I’m guessing you’ve got the Maisha and Theron Cross albums on this list somewhere? boy, I hope all of them release a bunch of new stuff in the coming year. Can’t get enough of it. Collocutor is dropping a new album in mid Feb. Cheers, Robert
davesumner
January 24, 2020 @ 11:51 pm
I’ll be listening to that new Collocutor this weekend. Very much looking forward to it.
Geographically, I’m not sure any location has been more vibrant and the source of so much great music over the last three year more than London.
I was fortunate to get to see Shabaka Hutchings and Theon Cross at Big Ears Festival last year. Hearing that music live was something special.
Cheers,
Dave