TBC introduces… Allexa Nava

Tell us a bit about yourself - we know you were born in Peru, but where did you grow up, and how and when did you come to the UK? 

I was born in Peru. I started doing music there when I was in high school. At the time, I didn't know what I wanted to do in the future - that's why it's important to engage in after-school activities, because that's when you discover your passion. I was attending after-school music classes for two years before I thought, “Oh, I want to pursue this as a career.”

I lived in Peru until I finished school. At the same time, I was in the national conservatoire of my country, but I was playing classical saxophone because there was no contemporary jazz saxophone or anything like that at the time.

I then got the opportunity to move to the UK with my mum. The first place that accepted me was Tomorrow's Warriors. There, I started to learn how to play modern jazz. I eventually applied to Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, which is a music, dance, and musical theatre conservatoire based in South East London. I was accepted, and well, the rest is history. 

So, are you from a musical family?  

My mum learned how to play the piano for a bit when she was young, but didn't pursue it as a career. She's more of a businesswoman, but because of her having that experience with music at a young age, she was very supportive of me pursuing my dream to be a musician.  

Which came first, the flute or the sax - and which do you feel most at home playing? 

It was the saxophone. I'm not going to lie to you, it wasn’t easy to learn, especially as I learned to play classical jazz. But classical jazz doesn’t have a lot of space to play. I needed more space to express myself, which modern jazz and fusion jazz allow me to do. I knew the right path for me was to switch to a different genre of music.  

This gig is part of a mini-tour and part of the Warriors Rise initiative recently announced by Tomorrow’s Warriors, which we’re really happy to be part of. Can you tell us a bit about Tomorrow’s Warriors - how important were they in giving you and other artists of your generation in London a platform? 

When I came to the UK, I didn't really know how to pursue or advance my education in music. I took a gap year where I was trying to learn on my own, as well as trying to figure out what I wanted. Through some friends, I found out about Tomorrow's Warriors. They told me it was a free organisation. You can go along and jam with other musicians, and they will help you hone your craft. I thought, “What have I got to lose?”

I wanted to pursue jazz, but I was not 100% sure in which direction or how to go about it. I was still very new to the UK, remember. I didn't know what I was doing. But once I arrived there, I got to meet people who are still part of my circle today and who I call my friends.

Tomorrow's Warriors pushes artists in a very positive way to express themselves. In my second year, they pushed me to do my own gig. This gave me the strength and belief that I could actually write my own music. I wanted to showcase something that was me, something I had composed. Those little pieces of encouragement pushed me to do what I am doing right now. For example, now I have released an EP, and play my own gigs with my own music. That would not have been possible without the help of Tomorrow’s Warriors years ago.  

Who did you study with in those early days with Tomorrow’s Warriors that we may know?  

Cassius Cobbson. He plays keys, drums, guitar, and bass, and is a key figure in the contemporary London jazz scene, having performed with and been developed by Tomorrow's Warriors. He’s going to play with me at The Bear Club.

We love the concept of COLECTIVA, your Afro-Latin jazz collective, which has played to great acclaim at festivals including SXSW and Glastonbury. How was it playing to those crowds, and how does that experience compare to the buzz of playing your own music with your own band? 

I've been part of COLECTIVA for the last two years, I believe. I first joined as a deputy for trumpet player Poppy Daniels. She is such an amazing, beautiful person. I dep’d for her and ended up staying.

Being with COLECTIVA was the first time I experienced that group dynamic. They were so supportive, and I think because they are an all-female group, you somehow feel more comfortable. I think that this was when I finally came out of my shell as a musician. We play so many festivals, SXSW in Texas, we played in the Netherlands, so many places. I hold them in my heart. 

Tell us a bit about how it feels to be taking your first steps outside of London, building a career and making a name for yourself with your own band?

When I'm performing onstage, it's super exciting. I love it because I'm a performer. Performing onstage for me is the easy part. I think the admin side can be tedious, but I understand it’s necessary.

For example, when I was recording my EP and trying to get people involved, you know, getting a label deal, that's pretty scary because you're often rejected. But I’m fine with that, it's all part of the journey. Doing it for the first time was a steep learning curve, messaging band members, messaging a venue to get a gig and being faced with rejection, it's part of it, but you learn, and that's when you find the right people to work with.

At the end of the day, I accept that this is the path I chose, so if I win a million Grammys or never get one, music is something I wanted to do. When I get to 50, I can look back and say I did that.  

Who are your top three sax players? 

I always mention him, he's my number one - Chris Potter, American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist. I would also say Jaleel Shaw, an American jazz alto saxophonist. He's a little more contemporary, I really love his playing. Finally, Antonio Hart as well.  

Can you give us a heads up on an album or an artist you like that you think we might not have come across and should check out?

It’s a group called El Comite, a collective of renowned Cuban musicians known for fusing Afro-Cuban jazz with funk, Afrobeat, and other Latin influences. They are based in France, and they're all Cuban players. They have an album called Y Qué!? (So What) which I think you might like to listen to. It's such a cool album.

I got the opportunity to play with Irvina Cao, who is one of the saxophonists in the band. I didn’t know who they were, and then when I Googled them, I was amazed by all of the projects they have released and the people they have worked with.  

We love the No Language EP that came out this year - especially "Recortes". Can you describe your music for those who are new to it and want to know if it’s for them?

I tried to create the concept and all of the composition for the EP under one umbrella, which is contemporary jazz, modern fusion. I wanted everything to fit that same vibe.

It’s the music that shaped me when I was young, and I first discovered fusion jazz. It doesn't need to be intense music; it can be chill, too. Now I like Latin jazz, which is not a reflection of this EP, but I just wanted to reflect a younger version of me. 

Who’s in your band, and what can we expect from your show at The Bear?

It's going to be Emile Hinton on keys and synth bass, Cassius Cobbson on drums, Jai Patel on trombone, and me, of course.

My music is high energy. I want the audience to connect with it and be inspired in some way as well. There is so much work that goes into organising a live show - not just the performance, but dates, times, band rehearsals, setlist, everything. Just come and be inspired in some way by what can be achieved if you set your heart on it.   

Allexa Nava joins us with her quartet on Saturday 4 October 2025