Mali Sheard 'Hayfever'

Fresh from appearing at Love Supreme Festival, London-based saxophonist and composer Mali Sheard brings her debut album, Hayfever, to PizzaExpress Live. A Tomorrow's Warriors alumna and Royal Academy of Music scholar, Mali has developed a distinctive, melodic voice shaped by mentors including Gary Crosby OBE, Binker Golding, Nikki Iles and Giacomo Smith.

Inspired by nature, personal growth and lyrical storytelling, Hayfever is an uplifting collection of original music that introduces one of the UK's most exciting emerging jazz artists.

Mali Sheard is a London-based saxophonist, composer and bandleader whose music is rooted in melody, storytelling and a deep connection to the natural world. A graduate of Tomorrow's Warriors, she developed her artistic voice under the guidance of mentors including Gary Crosby OBE and Binker Golding before continuing her studies on scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music with tutors Nikki Iles and Giacomo Smith.

Drawing inspiration from artists as diverse as Paul Desmond, Frank Sinatra, Brian Blade and Antonio Carlos Jobim, Mali has cultivated a lyrical, expressive sound that balances warmth, freedom and emotional honesty. Her compositions are deeply personal, reflecting her own experiences while inviting listeners into moments of reflection and optimism.

Her debut album, Hayfever, introduces an eclectic collection of original music inspired by the landscapes of her childhood in Hertfordshire and the Yorkshire Dales. Featuring field recordings of birdsong and rainfall captured in her local woodland, the album explores the idea that positive change can often arrive hand in hand with discomfort. Through vivid melodies, rich improvisation and evocative textures, Hayfever celebrates growth, resilience and the beauty of embracing life's changing seasons.