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  Camila Nebbia / Kit Downes / Andrew Lisle 
  Exhaust
  (Relative Pitch) 


  
   review by Ken Waxman
  2026-02-16
Camila Nebbia / Kit Downes / Andrew Lisle: Exhaust (Relative Pitch)

A prominent representative of the many exploratory South American musicians who have moved into new geographic areas, Buenos Aires-born tenor saxophonist Camila Nebbia is also part of Berlin's growing burgeoning community of expatriate improvisers. Joined by two UK players - pianist Kit Downes and drummer Andrew Lisley — the trio races through five pointed tracks with a maximum of elation and a minimum of exhaust(ion).

Nebbia, who has worked with players as varied as Susana Santos Silva and Tom Rainey; is matched in timbral adaptation by Lisle, who often works with Colin Webster; and Downes whose experience encompasses gigs with everyone from Bill Frisell to Sun-Mi Hong. All bring similar adaptability to the performances. Throughout the saxophonist's reed variations range from circular expositions with thickened growls, ascending corkscrew flutters and lighter irregularly vibrated tongue stops and squeals. Aiding the dynamic evolution, but not letting reed tones dominate, Downes frequently adds ringing keyboard pressure while Lisle's drums propels woody cracks and press rolls.

Although waves of almost inexhaustible hollowed out breaths and wavering shrieks from Nebbia are prominent on tracks like the extended "Jetsam", some narratives move from distorted polyphony to more measured downward and almost lyrical additions. That's when Downes single key emphasis and darting vibrations make common cause with the saxophonist's turn to undulating linear projections.

The session exhibits unexpected shifts as well. For instance "Enervated", which despite what most think is actually defined as "to feel drained of energy or vitality", is appropriately described musically with barely-there floating reed whistles and pauses blended with percussion squeaks and keyboard clinks.

With other sequences using brief reed bites, inner piano string agitation and drum clip-clops the equivalent of hearing individual words transforming into descriptive sentences prevails. There are even succinct interludes that sound almost lyrical, although the balance between rugged and romantic is always maintained.

Showing herself capable of establishing a distinctive musical identity with consistent ideas, calculated surprises and comprehensive creativity, Nebbia provides another instance of her maturity sound mastery. She also suggests why the nueva ola (Spanish) or nova onda (Portuguese) sounds continue to arise from South America.







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