At Performance Works last night, Nubya Garcia played her first-ever Vancouver show, bringing a set that was equal parts celebration and reflection. Touring behind her expansive new album Odyssey, the British saxophonist showed just how wide her musical reach has become.

The evening opened with “Dawn,” the first track on her latest album Odyssey. Garcia shared that she began writing it on a beach in Bahia, Brazil, where she spent eight months in 2023 – a time that deeply shaped her recent compositions. On stage, the song unfolded patiently, her tone warm and unhurried. Garcia’s playing has a conversational quality but even at its most technically dazzling, her playing prioritizes lyricism over spectacle. 

Backed by a standout quartet – Lyle Barton on keys, Max Luthert on double bass, and Sam Jones on drums – Garcia’s playing felt like a leader guiding the group through ever-shifting terrain. Barton supported her melodies with soft, spacious chords, while Luthert and Jones held down grooves that moved from dub to broken beat without losing their feel. When it came time to take the spotlight, their solos were both purposeful and powerful as Garcia swayed along in recognition. 

Introducing “Solstice,” Garcia talked about how the song was written around the summer solstice and how she loves that time of year. It’s when the days feel long and “everyone walk down the street like they look good…we’re going to be bringing some more of that beautiful, buzzy summer energy to you,” she laughed – before her playing opened up into sweeping lines that made you believe exactly that.

She also mentioned catching Marquis Hill’s set the night before, calling him “one of my favorite musicians in the world,” and spoke about how lucky she felt to share a festival lineup with him. It was a small moment but spoke to the sense of community running through the evening.

Later she spoke about the importance of live music not as a luxury but as a right; about writing string arrangements for the first time on Odyssey despite no formal training; about taking risks even when the odds intimidate. “Water’s Path,” originally composed for strings alone, was reworked for the touring quartet, losing none of its intimacy in the new arrangement.

Toward the end of the night, Garcia shared that she had created her own incense to go along with Odyssey. She reached for one of those sticks, borrowed a lighter from someone in the audience, and lit it so the entire room could catch its scent and settle deeper into the vibe she was creating. 

After a standing ovation, Garcia closed with an abbreviated final number, telling the crowd she had to rush “immediately to the airport” to make their next show. It was a fleeting end to a set that felt anything but short. For 90 minutes, Garcia turned the room into her own musical world – one that felt bright, rooted, and completely her own.