Mali Sheard: Hayfever

Having built a strong reputation with London-based eight-piece Ankora, saxophonist Mali Sheard steps into the spotlight with her debut album, Hayfever. It is a release that will do that reputation no harm at all, offering a beguiling blend of jazz, folk and groove, seamlessly integrated into Sheard's distinctive improvisational style.

A graduate of Tomorrow's Warriors jazz talent development organisation and the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied with Gary Crosby OBE and Nikki Iles, Sheard makes full use of that background, drawing together musicians from both those worlds. She is joined by Ankora band mate Keira Chakraborty on flute, together with pianist Kyle Osborne, drummer Luke McCarthy and George Balmont on electric bass. She also enlists two top-quality guests in pianist Huw Warren and guitarist Rob Luft.

Themes of family and nature run through the seven original tracks, giving the album a strong sense of identity and place. "When The Sun," dedicated to Sheard's Kenyan-Indian grandmother, opens with birdsong, leading into sax explorations, with Luft and Osborne weaving around Sheard's lines. After its swirling opening, the engaging title track settles into a folk dance led by Chakraborty's flute, before changing gear as piano and guitar create a textural backdrop for Sheard's inventive improvisation.

"It's Fun To Be A Cat" is an instantly appealing melodic highlight, with a warm saxophone line and some beautifully judged touches from Warren. "There's A Place" is another standout, pairing instrumental combinations with driving rhythms from Balmont and McCarthy beneath a folk-tinged melody that, at times, narrowly avoids drifting into "Auld Lang Syne."

Elsewhere, "Elephants" reflects Sheard's Kenyan heritage and features a fine Luft solo, while "Afternoon Tea With A Demon" brings a darker, rockier edge. The album closes with "Breathe," Sheard's delicate saxophone floating through an atmospheric setting dedicated to her Yorkshire grandmother.

Hayfever is an engaging debut, highlighting Sheard's talents both as saxophonist and composer. She is certainly one to watch. An assured, narrative approach to composition is enhanced by her improvisational style, strong grooves and fine ensemble interplay, with several standout performances from her collaborators, with Chakraborty particularly impressive.