Ezra Collective

Ezra Collective is a British jazz quintet composed of drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso, bassist TJ Koleoso, keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, and tenor saxophonist James Mollison.[1] The group fuses elements of afrobeat, calypso, reggae, hip-hop, soul and jazz, and frequently collaborates with fellow London-based jazz musicians such as Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd.[2][3]

Ezra Collective
Femi Koleoso at the 2017 Jazz Manor Festival in Sochi, Russia.
Femi Koleoso at the 2017 Jazz Manor Festival in Sochi, Russia.
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Instrument(s)
Years active2016-present
Labels
Members
Past membersDylan Jones
Websiteezracollective.com

The members of Ezra Collective met at the jazz programme Tomorrow's Warriors, run by Gary Crosby.[4] The jazz group has noted that succeeding as young jazz musicians in London has had challenges, with Femi Koleoso saying that "I saw jazz music as an elite art form that I didn't have access to".[5] He puts down the group's success as being able to freely express their musical influences from their youth. The band has said that Robert Glasper, and Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly provided early inspiration for their "template" as a jazz band.[6]

The band's 2019 instrumental single "Quest for Coin" was premiered as the "Hottest Record in The World" on Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1.[4] In 2019, Ezra Collective released their debut LP You Can't Steal My Joy, which featured British musicians Jorja Smith and Loyle Carner.[7] In Q4 of 2022, the band released its second LP, Where I'm Meant To Be, involving a mix of both instrumental tracks and lyrical collaborations. Critical reception was widely positive, with Kate Hutchinson from The Guardian writing that the "exceptional album could be the one to cross over to the big league".[8][9][10]

On 3 March, 2023, it was announced that Ezra Collective would be performing at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival.[11]

Discography

Albums
  • Chapter 7 (2016) (EP)
  • Juan Pablo: The Philosopher (2018) (EP)
  • You Can't Steal My Joy (2019)
  • Where I'm Meant To Be (2022)

Singles
  • Samuel L Riddim (2018)
  • Reason in Disguise (2018)
  • Chris and Jane (2019)
  • Footprints (2020)
  • Dark Side Riddim (2020)
  • Quest for Coin II (2020)
  • More Than A Hustler (2021)
  • May The Funk Be With You (2022)

Awards and nominations
Award Year Work Category Result Ref.
Mobo Awards 2022 Ezra Collective Best Jazz Act Won [12]

References
  1. Madden, Sidney. "Ezra Collective Sets The 'Quest For Coin' To A Fast-Paced Jazz Soundtrack". npr.org. NPR. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  2. Kalia, Ammar. "Ezra Collective: You Can't Steal My Joy review – celebration of jazz's diversity". theguardian.com/. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  3. Hutchinson, Kate (19 October 2018). "A Sweaty Night Out in London's New Jazz Scene". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. Vinti, Mike. "As everyone gets hooked on jazz, Ezra Collective are the group most locked into a groove". loudandquiet.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  5. Hutchinson, Kate (19 October 2018). "A Sweaty Night Out in London's New Jazz Scene". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  6. "As everyone gets hooked on jazz, Ezra Collective are the group most locked into a groove". Loud And Quiet. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  7. "Review: Ezra Collective's 'You Can't Steal My Joy' Is A UK Jazz Delight". Complex. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  8. Hutchinson, Kate (6 November 2022). "Ezra Collective: Where I'm Meant to Be review – brilliant follow-up from the inventive party band". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  9. Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; ClashMusic (3 November 2022). "Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant To Be | Reviews". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  10. "Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant To Be - Review". Loud And Quiet. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  11. "Glastonbury Festival 2023: Full line-up, tickets and how to watch". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  12. "MOBO Awards 2022 | MOBO Organisation". www.mobo.com. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.