Nubya Garcia – Odyssey (2024 Concord Jazz 2LP Gatefold)

With Odyssey, Nubya Garcia maps a bold new chapter in the ever-evolving landscape of UK jazz. Released in 2024 on Concord Jazz, this expansive double LP takes the spiritual fire and rhythmic depth of her earlier work and sets it within widescreen orchestration — a lush, fearless soundworld composed, produced, and arranged entirely by Garcia herself.

Recorded at London’s British Grove and Church Studios, Odyssey finds Garcia’s tenor saxophone surrounded by long-time collaborators Joe Armon-Jones on keys, Daniel Casimir on bass, Sam Jones on drums, and Jansen Santana on percussion. The Chineke! Orchestra adds glowing string textures, while guests Esperanza Spalding, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Richie bring soulful, otherworldly vocals.

The opening track, Dawn, co-written with Spalding, sets a luminous tone — part prayer, part awakening — before Odyssey and Solstice surge forward with hypnotic rhythm and brass interplay. Set It Free and We Walk in Gold lean into groove and liberation, while Water’s Path and Clarity shimmer with introspection. The closer, Triumphance, is exactly that: a soaring statement of renewal, followed by a hushed instrumental reprise that lets the air back in.

Mixed by kwes and mastered by Paul Blakemore, this pressing delivers the kind of depth and space you expect from a record of this scale. The standard black vinyl 2LP comes housed in a gatefold sleeve with a 16-page full-colour booklet featuring lyrics, credits, and photographs by Marcus Grey — a rich companion to the music’s emotional sweep.

At once intimate and cinematic, Odyssey is Nubya Garcia’s most ambitious statement yet — a record that bridges London jazz, soul, and orchestral composition with rare grace and intent.