What makes Nuba by Jimmy Lyons notable?

Nuba is significant for its contribution to the avant-garde jazz movement of the late 1970s, receiving acclaim for its innovative compositions and improvisational depth. The album has been noted for its influence on subsequent generations of jazz musicians who seek to explore complex rhythmic structures and collaborative interplay. Critics have praised it for pushing the boundaries of traditional jazz forms, cementing Lyons' legacy within the genre. Released in 1979, Nuba marked Jimmy Lyons' first album after joining the influential record label, Black Saint. This album emerged during a period of resurgence in avant-garde jazz, showcasing Lyons' distinctive approach to improvisation and composition. At this point in his career, Lyons had already established himself as an important figure within the jazz community, yet Nuba sought to further broaden his artistic expression.

How many songs are on Nuba?

Nuba has 7 tracks, running approximately 45 minutes.

Nuba

Jimmy Lyons · 1979

45 min · 7 tracks · jazz

Exploratory jazz textures intertwine with intricate rhythms, creating a vibrant soundscape that invites deep listening and improvisational discovery.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Nuba 1 — The opening track establishes the album's adventurous spirit with its layered improvisations and rhythmic complexities, drawing listeners into Lyons' unique sound world.
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Cornbread Picnic (Maize) — This track blends playful melodic elements with intricate percussion patterns, demonstrating Lyons' ability to fuse spontaneity with structured composition.
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In These Last Days — The emotional depth of this piece showcases Lyons' lyrical saxophone playing against a backdrop of rich harmonies, making it a highlight of the album's expressive range.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

66 /100

Alpine

Higher than 89% of albums we've rated

Nuba showcases intricate rhythms and improvisation, marking it as a distinctive entry in avant-garde jazz.

What we noticed

The album features extended improvisational sections, with each track averaging over six minutes, allowing for deep exploration of themes.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 7/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Nuba 1 7:29
2 Cornbread Picnic (Maize) 4:56
3 The One Before Zero 5:27
4 JJ&A 5:11
5 In These Last Days 7:36
6 Sorry 7:01
7 Nuba 2 7:50

What to play next

Listen next

Push Pull

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Other Afternoons

1970

Full Jimmy Lyons discography Artists like Jimmy Lyons

jazz

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata