NUBYA GARCIA / DARKHOUSE FAMILY | LIVE REVIEW
Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Thurs 3 May
The incendiary sax of Nubya Garcia has been a much-awaited arrival on many a local calendar. Joining her on the bill were Cardiff’s own Darkhouse Family, the moniker of producers Don Leisure and Earl Jeffers; this evening saw the second ever live band performance of their particular brand of jazz-infused instrumental hip-hop. Their sound is an instantly recognizable fusion of deep cut Afrocentric rhythms and melodies, interpreted expertly by a crew of local musicians.
It’s a tricky feat for the audience to stop the head bobbing when brazen synths surge across a backdrop of intricate, weighty beats and basslines, blanketed with ultra-cool jazz harmonies. The band’s tightness represents Darkhouse’s polished recorded output in a good light indeed, but the visual element of their show could possibly be dialed up a notch to faithfully transmit the full experience.
Nubya Garcia takes the stage with what turned out to be quite a different angle. The satisfying pulse of hip-hop is still very much a foundation, but it was a crutch she’s more than happy to leave behind, delving more into the realms of frenzied improvisation, nu-jazz, hard bop, electronica and even dub reggae.
Her illustrious compositions soar, her irrefutable talent is clear: Garcia is ironclad on testing the limits of modern jazz as we know it. It’s certainly music more for the mind than the dancefloor, as made apparent when a few restless audience members showed their disregard by rivaling the decibels of the band themselves with idle chatter. Nevertheless, those with ears pricked will have noticed an open dialogue between the band members, each facilitating each other’s artistic statements and building to collective, engrossing payoffs.
However, with these loose structures come a few underwhelming moments; that which allowed for such freedom felt a bit unfocused at times. On the whole, though, these are two artists and groups which symbolise the continual reinvention and reinvigoration of jazz; it’s arguably never been a more exciting time for the genre.
words CHARLIE PIERCEY
