Nubya Garcia Red Hot At Blue Note London

Nubya Garcia
Blue Note
London
October 17, 2026 

Blue Note London has had some hot tickets in its opening months, but none hotter than British saxophone legend Nubya Garcia. Her residency at the club in October 2026 encompassed six sold-out shows. Accompanied by Lyle Barton on piano and assorted keyboards, Max Luthert on bass, and the ever-present Sam Barrell Jones on drums, Garcia presented music from her back catalog while trying out some new tunes for a forthcoming recording session.

The penultimate concert in the series began, as so often happens, with the trio taking the stage and laying down an introduction before the leader made her appearance. The first tune was "Pace," from her debut album Source (Concord Music Group, 2020), and saw her in hard-blowing form, with room for elegant piano and bass contributions. She is a commanding figure who plays the room as well as she plays the music. She's charming, anecdotal, and funny, and generous in acknowledging her band's contributions. Barton and Luthert have replaced musicians from previous tours and recordings, settling into their roles with increasing confidence and ease. This is a band that knows what it's doing and why.

Garcia explained that she had recorded in a studio in Bogotá, and the next number, "La Cumbia Me Está Llamando," also from Source, reflected that Colombian influence. Played with verve and swing, but without the vocals from La Perla that graced the album track, it was still a lively number that had heads swaying and feet tapping throughout the Blue Note.

At this point, Garcia apologized to the band for having to learn more than 40 numbers, confirming that none of her six sets that week would be repeated, with each performance exploring different stages of her repertoire. She seemed genuinely surprised that she had already written so many songs. Her introduction to "Before Us: In Demerara & Caura" acknowledged her parents' Trinidadian and Guyanese heritage and its importance in her musical journey. The album track may have had a fuller sound, with Sheila Maurice-Grey's trumpet added to the lineup, but this band filled the room with a compelling groove and flowing saxophone lines, underpinned by tight drumming and spacious piano and bass accompaniment. A real treat, with an even greater one to follow.

Garcia asked whether the audience would like to hear two as-yet-untitled tracks that might be recorded during a forthcoming studio session. The response was enthusiastic, with applause and cheers. The first began with a lyrical piano introduction and bass solo before the saxophone entered in a breathy ballad mode, painting elegant musical pictures. Rapturous applause followed.

Then it was story time: "I was in the studio playing some Weather Report and this tune sort of came as a tribute to Jaco Pastorius. It has a really gnarly bass line and I welcome suggestions for a title."

A few ideas were offered, but we'll have to wait until the new release to learn what she chooses. Perhaps "Jac It Up" would suit a piece that progressed through hints of both Wayne Shorter and, in the lower melodic passages of her fine solo, Ben Webster. One surprise was that Luthert continued on upright bass despite having a bass guitar beside him.

Both new tunes suggested a return to the more straight-ahead modern jazz, reggae, and dubstep influences of her first EP, Nubya's 5ive, and debut album, Source. They were certainly promising compositions that would reward repeated exploration by these fine improvisers. Jones rarely needs to show off his chops with solos, since his brilliant support of everything Garcia does speaks for itself, but he did get a brief showcase here.

With a teasing "Do we have time for just one more?" the band launched into "Triumphance," the masterpiece from Odyssey (Concord Jazz, 2024). As always, the piece began with Garcia's vocals about power and responsibility, with echo and reverb bouncing around the room. Its catchy tenor saxophone melody is a tuneful earworm that perhaps catches the audience off guard before this powerful anthem bursts forth with elemental force from all the players.

Of course, it's different every time she plays it, but the message of collaboration, sharing, and respecting individual differences always shines through. It left the Blue Note audience uplifted, delighted, and feeling the power.