Nicky Schrire Quartet featuring Adam Waldmann, The Pheasantry

Rising star vocalist Nicky Schrire celebrates her UK return with an appearance at The Pheasantry alongside special guest saxophonist Adam Waldmann, leader of the Mobo Award-winning Kairos 4Tet, and a new ensemble, featuring some of London’s most exciting young talents. 

Schrire was born in London but grew up in South Africa and has spent the last five years living in New York where she was a student at the Manhattan School of Music. In that time she’s released two albums, Freedom Flight (2012) and Space and Time (2013), in addition to a six-track EP of original compositions, To The Spring, which came out earlier this year. 

All three albums bring the relaxed, beguiling, and at times haunting, quality of her vocals to the fore but, with its lilting, folky melodies and engaging lyrics, Schrire’s latest release is her strongest yet. Inevitable comparisons have been made between the singer and greats like Norma Winstone and Gretchen Parlato, both of whom have tutored her over the years. 

As big a draw as Schrire herself, are her collaborators. In addition to Waldmann she’ll be joined by drummer Jon Scott, also of Kairos 4Tet, not to mention the fiercely contemporary ensemble Dice Factory; pianist Tom Hewson who leads young trio Treehouse, and in-demand bassist Matt Ridley. 

Schrire is due to make her debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall this October as part of UBUNTU, a festival celebrating South African music where she’ll be sharing the stage with greats including Hugh Masekela and Abdullah Ibrahim. Her Pheasantry set promises similar musical colours, offsetting her originals with classics from the world of South African Jazz.