Ezra Collective, a British jazz-funk ensemble known for its groove-heavy and genre-shifting sound, ranks among the most prominent acts within London’s vibrant jazz community. Their high-energy performances drew large crowds, yet the broader distribution of the 2019 debut album You Can’t Steal My Joy proved decisive in reshaping perceptions of jazz. Over the following two years the band performed extensively throughout England and Europe. March 2022 brought the single “May the Funk Be with You,” with “Victory Dance” appearing that June. The quintet unveiled its second album, Where I’m Meant to Be, in November and thereby became the first jazz act to receive the Mercury Prize. Throughout 2023 the musicians continued performing in clubs worldwide. September 2024 saw the arrival of Dance, No One’s Watching, a project directly shaped by the club audiences encountered on those travels.
The group came together in London during 2016 when Femi Koleoso on drums, his brother TJ Koleoso on bass, Joe Armon-Jones on keys, Dylan Jones on trumpet, and James Mollison on saxophone began establishing themselves within the city’s underground jazz circuit. Blending Afrobeat, hip-hop, grime, R&B, and jazz, the five-piece issued the debut EP Chapter 7 that same year. A follow-up, Juan Pablo: The Philosopher, arrived in 2017, earned support from Gilles Peterson, and was named “Best Album” at his Worldwide Awards.
Amid a resurgence of London jazz, Ezra Collective joined Kamaal Williams, Sons of Kemet, and the Comet Is Coming in commanding sold-out venues across the capital and beyond. In 2018 the band collected “Best UK Jazz Act” and “Live Experience of the Year” honors at the Jazz FM Awards while also laying down its first full-length record. Released the next year, You Can’t Steal My Joy revitalized the local jazz landscape through an eclectic fusion of influences and featured appearances by Loyle Carner, Jorja Smith, and Kokoroko. Shortly before year’s end, Armon-Jones issued the solo album Turn to Clear View on Brownswood.
You Can’t Steal My Joy quickly resonated across England’s nu-jazz community, extending its reach to funk, R&B, and select EDM DJs while securing notable radio exposure. The collective toured Great Britain and select European sites, with members simultaneously pursuing session work: Femi collaborated with Smith, Nubya Garcia, and Sarah Tandy; Armon-Jones worked alongside Tony Allen, Hugh Masekela, and Seed Ensemble; Mollison performed in Armon-Jones’s solo project and in Cykada; and Jones appeared in Armon-Jones’s quintet as well as with Ashley Henry.
Late 2020 brought the “Quest for Coin II” EP, recorded with JME and Swindle and designated “hottest record of the year” by BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac. Live performances resumed in 2021, accompanied by limited touring, and the year closed with the single “More Than a Hustler” featuring rapper Novelist. Ezra Collective reclaimed a central position on the club circuit in 2022, now occupying larger rooms, and also appeared on European summer jazz festival stages. November saw the Partisan label release of the 14-track sophomore album Where I’m Meant to Be, which wove together Afrobeat, jazz, funk, and hip-hop while showcasing Kojey Radical, Emeli Sande, Nao, and Sampa the Great on the lead single “Life Goes On.” Director Nathan Miller shot the accompanying video in both London, England, and Lusaka, Zambia. Widespread critical praise, consistent airplay, and strong sales culminated in the album receiving the Mercury Prize in September 2023 as the United Kingdom’s finest release of 2022—the first jazz recording ever to claim the award.
Global touring occupied the remainder of 2022 and most of 2023, with stops in large clubs spanning Lagos to Sydney and Chicago to London. These dancefloor experiences prompted fresh material. In September 2024 the 19-song album Dance, No One’s Watching emerged from sessions at Abbey Road Studios that welcomed visits from friends, colleagues, and family. Several of those guests contributed to the singles “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing” featuring Yazmin Lacey, “Streets Is Calling” featuring M.anifest and Moonchild Sanelly, and “No One’s Watching Me” featuring Olivia Dean.
