Camila Nebbia: Una ofrenda a la ausencia

One might be tempted to say something like, "introducing a new voice in jazz and improvised music: Camila Nebbia," except she has been quite a prolific artist for the past decade. Maybe her birthplace Buenos Aires kept the listening world's ears from recognizing this amazing talent. Her move to Berlin may rectify this error: that, and the release of two new discs on Relative Pitch Records. In Another Land, Another Dream (2024) finds the saxophonist in a duo with American pianist Angelica Sanchez. But solo outing Una ofrenda a la ausencia is the best place to start.

Although this is not her first solo recording, it is a fine rundown of the current state of her affairs. The saxophonist delivers her message through a diverse approach in these sixteen tracks. The opener, "Todo se borra," attacks with an aggressive grrrrrr sound that develops into a spittle of notes. Nebbie saves her more straight-ahead sounds for her Charles Mingus and large ensemble projects. This recording showcases a musician in complete control of her instrument. She can deliver complex patterns "Dejo que me lleve" and negotiate contortion-like passages "Irse" with an apparent ease. Nebbia's sound is both old-school and modern. "Todo estaba inundado" sounds out a quiet blues, while "Ruinas" captures a chamber-like sound as soft as a butterfly landing on sore feet. Then there are the extra touches. "Ojos cerrados" and "Ruinas" add layered special effects to Nebbia's delivery and "Sobre la función del olvido" weaves several saxophones, one overblown, against the artist reading a poem. Listeners can expect great things from this creative artist.

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