Jasmine Myra and the quiet radicalism of stepping back

Since the release of her 2022 debut record Horizons, the Leeds-born saxophonist and composer has made her signature a quietly immersive jazz ensemble sound; a downtempo melodic expansiveness that counters the frantic stress and frenetic pace of our world with the gentle consistency of soothing improvisation. Rooted in her own relationship to anxiety and journey towards self-confidence, Myra’s music performs a soft catharsis and on her latest, third album, Where Light Settles, this moving sound reaches a new apex.

“When it came to writing this record, I was thinking about the concept of duality – the bittersweet idea of each thing containing its opposite,” Myra says over a call from her family home in Leeds. “You need the light and shade, since there’s beauty to the depth and rawness of life. That’s what I wanted to express in the music – those tricky feelings that can give way to growth and harmony.”

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Backed by a 13-piece ensemble replete with strings, harp and horn section, the resulting nine tracks of Where Light Settles express this poignant combination of feeling through muted mallet percussion, soaring woodwind harmony and brightly infectious melody that plays like sunshine piercing through thick cloud. Opening suite “Reflections” performs a typical Myra arrangement trick of echoing uplifting melody throughout the ensemble, from plaintive piano to flute and saxophone, while “Likeness and Shadow” allows a persistent double bass motif to swell into a rollicking full band harmony, “Echo” sees Myra draw on folk melody through a duet of finger-picked guitar and saxophone, while the closing title track builds beautifully from a piano and harp riff into a tender jazz swing that bolsters one of the few solos from Myra on the record. 

In fact, throughout the album, Myra places herself in the thick of her compositions rather than at their forefront, giving voice to the collective power of her group instead of using them as a backing band for her own solo virtuosity. 

“I’m happy to take a backseat as a player in these songs, since it’s all about what serves the music best,” she says with a smile. “I wanted everyone to be in the room playing at the same time so we could all respond to the emotions of the music as one. It’s one of the many firsts for me on the record, as I’m also writing for strings for the first time and producing as well. 

"I wanted to challenge myself since even though I still feel impostor syndrome three albums in, I’ve realised that self-doubt is part of the creative process – you have to just keep going regardless because that means you’re being vulnerable and not just staying comfortable.”

While the record might explore new compositional and creative territory for Myra, it also harks back to her foundations, since much of it was written during stints immersed in natural landscapes. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time in nature as we would always be going to places like the Lake District to see grandparents but since moving to London three years ago, I feel like I’ve lost touch with green spaces,” she says. 

“When it came to writing this record, I decided to book AirBnBs in remote places in the South Downs and I went camping a lot in the New Forest – when I was alone in these places, I could hear the music come to life. It connected me back to that childhood and it also made me reflect on how nature can have a duality of its own. It’s often beautiful and brutal at the same time.”

Growing up in a musical household with her father working as a jazz pianist, Myra initially played piano and violin before settling on the alto saxophone at 14. Taking to the instrument immediately, she joined high school bands and was soon indoctrinated into the world of jazz, finding an early touchstone in the funk and soul-inflected work of saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. 

Moving on to study performance at Leeds College of Music, Myra was drawn to the ensemble compositions of American trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and also began playing in the hip-hop fusion group Abstract Orchestra. “I was immersing myself in improvisation and learning to play this music with respect and love,” she says. “Now, I find new influences everywhere, from the film scores of [American composer] Dustin O’Halloran to the ambient work of [Icelandic producer] Olafur Arnalds. It’s whatever makes me hold my breath in response to the emotions of the music.”  

After graduating music school, Myra continued playing with members of the band she formed for her final graded performances – many of whom are still in her touring group today – and caught the attention of Gondwana Records label boss Matthew Halsall during a 2019 show in Manchester. “He really took me under his wing and gave me guidance without pushing me,” she says. “I had spent the two years previously after graduating trying to make ends meet with gigging, teaching and other freelance work and it was so lucky that he came along when he did and encouraged me to write an album and trust myself to find my voice as an artist. Since then, he’s always given me very real advice and hasn’t steered me wrong.”

As part of the Gondwana roster, Myra joins other British jazz groups like Mercury Prize-nominated Portico Quartet and Mammal Hands who have each carved their distinct niche within the genre. While Portico Quartet might feature electronics alongside their improvisations and Mammal Hands intricate non-Western melodies, Myra’s hallmark is altogether more subtle, developing a sound that is cinematic in its scope while equally intimate in the specificity of its feeling. 

“This album is a step forward for me but I’d love to strip right back to a small group one day or to get into film scoring and composition,” she says. “I’m open right now, I don’t know what the next step will be but I have a few ideas brewing for when things calm down again.”

Until then, Myra is due to hit the road for a series of festivals and a tour across the UK and EU, bringing her delicate yet insistent music to audiences longing for its calm.