Maisha is the word for “life” in Swahili and also the name of a six-piece jazz ensemble from London. Led by drummer Jake Long, the group is composed of other luminaries from the rich talent pool that has
congregated in the city’s resplendent jazz scene.
Nubya Garcia on sax and flute “wields a luminous tone” (DownBeat) is a bandleader in her own right and collaborates with many of the other musicians on the scene. Shirley Tetteh is a sought-after guitarist and a member of another collective, Nérija, as well as Jazz Jamaica, Groundation and more. Keyboardist Amané Suganami is also a composer for TV and film. The rhythm section consists of bassist Twm Dylan and percussionists Tim Doyle and Yahael Camara-Onono.
Maisha was featured on Brownswood’s We Out Here compilation and have now released a full-length record for the label. Recorded over three days in 2019, There is a Place merges traditional jazz with influences from each member of the ensemble, from Afrobeat to hip-hop, with songs developed from numerous live performances
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