Source (album)

Source follows Nubya Garcia's self-released solo EPs, Nubya’s 5ive (2017) and When We Are (2018). Garcia and Kwes produced all tracks on the album. The album features guest appearances from her touring band members, including pianist Joe Armon-Jones, double bassist Daniel Casimir, and drummer Sam Jones. Supergroup Nérija bandmate Cassie Kinoshi performs on alto sax, while KOKOROKO horn players Richie Seivwright and Sheila Maurice-Grey play trombone and trumpet, respectively. The closing track, "Boundless Beings" features vocals from pianist Akenya.[4] According to Garcia, Source is about personal power, collective power, and collectivism. She told The New York Times: "It's about my heritage, my ancestry, exploring those places and those stories from my parents and my grandparents."[3] Recorded in 2019 in two studio sessions in her hometown, London and in Bogoto, Columbia, the album serves a reflection of her hometown, paying homage to the rich cultural community of London.[2][3][5]

It’s a collection of thoughts and feelings about identity, family history, connections, collectivism and grief. Ultimately, it’s rooting yourself and getting grounded in yourself and in your community. I was thinking a lot about what powers people, what powers me, what feeds my soul. What’s the source of humanity’s power when the world’s falling apart? These are all thoughts I was having before the pandemic and social upheaval, and the movements that are happening now.

— Garcia on the conception of the album, DownBeat[6]

The record was announced in July 2020, alongside the cover-art and tracklist. The title track was served as the lead single from the album, and features guest appearances from saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi, trombonist Richie Seivwright, and Colombian band La Perla. Source was released on 21 August 2020 by Concord Jazz.[7]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.6/10[8]
Metacritic	81/100[9]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
Clash	8/10'[11]
Gigwise	[12]
The Line of Best Fit	8/10[13]
NME	8/10[5]
The Observer	[14]
Pitchfork	8.3/10[1]
Uncut	[15]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 81, based on nine reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[9] At AnyDecentMusic?, which collates album reviews from websites, magazines and newspapers, they gave the release a 7.6 out of 10, based on a critical consensus of 10 reviews.[8]

Pitchfork's Andy Beta believed that the album established Garcia as a foundational voice in the buzzing London jazz scene. He considered the record as a "stunning introduction" in which Garcia "meditates on her humble family heritage, the continuum of jazz history, and the power of collective action in our present moment."[1] Similarly, Conrad Duncan of Clash praised Garcia's "exceptional" quality of playing on the album, while also demonstrating her artistry as a composer.[11] Thom Jurek of AllMusic lauded the album for its "adventurous, kinetic, and sophisticated approach in wedding modern composition, improvisation, and production to rhythmic and harmonic traditions" and listed it amongst the best jazz records of London.[10] Gigwise writer Emily Fortune praised the album as a bold attempt that explores her artistry and leans into the unknowns.[12]

In The Line of Best Fit, Stephen Loftin wrote that "Source is akin to an old friend you may not see for a while, but whenever you do, the world feels that little bit brighter and it’s as if no time has passed at all."[13] Writing for NME, Dhruva Balram felt that the record nods "to jazz greats of the past."[5] In The Observer, Kitty Empire classified the album as a multi-mood record that celebrates "the power of the collective and the heritage of the African diaspora."[14] Louis Pattinson from Uncut described the record as "deeply melodic, brilliantly played, and blessed with a spirit that feels generous and boundless."[15]

All tracks have been written by Garcia and produced by Kwes. Akenya has writing credits on track 9.[16]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[16]

• List of 2020 albums