Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Festival 2023 opens on Friday 28th April with the pure delight of Jasmine Myra leading her eight piece band through her uplifting debut album ‘Horizons’

Jasmine Myra is a saxophonist, composer and band leader, based in Leeds. Part of the bustling, creative, cross-genre music scene in the city she has surrounded herself with some of the best young talent in the north of England. 

Myra’s band features Leeds based musicians Ben Haskins (guitar) and George Hall (drums), who met while studying at Leeds Conservatoire. They joined the band when it was first formed, during Myra’s final year of study. 

The band also features rising stars from the Leeds community Jasper Green (keys) and Sam Quintana (double bass), who feature on Myra’s debut album ‘Horizons’. 

Recreating the beautiful sounds of Alice Roberts (harp) as heard on the album, is Liam Detar (guitar). 

More recently, the line-up has grown with the addition of Arran Kent (flute/bass clarinet) and Matt Cliff (flute/alto sax).

Jasmine’s original instrumental music has a euphoric and uplifting sound, influenced by artists as diverse as Bonobo, Olafur Arnalds and Kenny Wheeler whose music share an emotive quality that you can hear in Myra’s own compositions.

She has recently signed to Gondwana Records and has been working with producer Matthew Halsall, whose keen ear for talent helped bring the music of GoGo Penguin, Mammal Hands and Hania Rani to the wider world.

I was immediately drawn to Jasmine’s music. I could hear jazz, electronica in her music but with a deep, honest, emotional quality. I was really impressed with her skills as a composer and bandleader, that she is open and intelligent enough to bring all those influences together, to make something fresh and original.

Matthew Halsall

Alto sax – Jasmine Myra 
Flute – Matt Cliff 
Flute / bass clarinet – Arran Kent 
Guitar – Ben Haskins 
Guitar – Liam Detar 
Piano – Jasper Green 
Double bass – Sam Quintana
Kit – George Hall 

Jasmine Myra’s debut album ‘Horizons’ is out now.

Check out here website online – https://www.jazzwise.com/review/jasmine-myra-horizons

It’s such a great record, absolutely beautiful

Tom Ravenscroft, BBC 6 Music

It sounds amazing, it’s a beautiful recording

Gilles Peterson, BBC 6 Music

A great new artist!

Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2

This is beautiful and profound music.

London Jazz News

This album is a triumph of youth and hope and love

Ban Ban Ton Ton