Nérija - Blume – formidable jazz crew need to cut loose

The Guardian 60

(Domino)

There’s a real warmth about London-based jazz septet Nérija on their debut album. It might have something to do with the close-knit harmonies of the horn front line – Nubya Garcia on tenor saxophone, Sheila Maurice-Grey on trumpet, Cassie Kinoshi on alto sax and Rosie Turton on trombone – or the fact that this young collective have known each other since they were teens attending the free weekend jazz workshop Tomorrow’s Warriors.

Democracy is their watchword. Each band member has penned their own compositions on Blume: a mix of frenetic Afrobeats on Last Straw, written by Maurice-Grey; choral balladry on the title track, by Garcia; and Kinoshi’s scattergun hip-hop fusion on EU (Emotionally Unavailable). For all the variety, no single track stands out; Nérija rarely stray from the comfortable territory of mid-tempo, mid-dynamic improvisation. When playing live, they’re a formidable force, carving new shapes with propulsive solos from Garcia, Kinoshi and guitarist Shirley Tetteh. Here, though, they feel constrained by the studio – their warmth a safety blanket, rather than a moving and engaging force.