Ezra Collective have a talent that’s rarely found in jazz music, the ability to sound and feel like far more than session musicians put in a room to play music. The London born quintet have had this cohesive, tight-knit energy since their debut EP Chapter 7 in 2016, and it’s easy to hear that their connection has a history that reaches long before that. “Chapter 7” (the single featuring Ty) was the first song I had heard by the afro-jazz group and it’s fair to say their sound stuck with me, not inherently new, but focused and masterfully done. The words accessible and jazz don’t really go together, but as a young, relatable, current troupe of musicians, Ezra Collective have taken Afro-jazz to the mainstream, and with Here Because of Hope, they’re finally telling it’s story.
Here Because of Hope is split into three sections, marked by poems read by Letitia Wright, taking us not only on a journey through genres, but a literal, geographical journey of jazz. The album begins with “Blow Your Trumpet” a pared back, Caribbean rhythm that just oozes professionalism, great production and sits right in the pocket of groove that the band have mastered so well. We’re then taken to Africa with “Sweet Echo”, flexing their well-earned afro-jazz muscle with some now glossy mastering. As the album goes on, we briefly stop in Cuba for an outstanding performance in brass and percussion with “El Corazón”, then finally end in London with the collective’s signature fusion of sounds, highlighted with the slow ballad “All I Need” featuring British R&B icon Leona Lewis, a smoky, jazz bar track but packed with feel.
This entire album has a purpose, yet the standout reflection I had on this album was that the band has matured. The previous chaotic but joyous onslaught of energy and features on their previous albums has been diluted just enough for the band to let their musicianship shine more than ever before. The band sound reflective and sure of themselves but still haven’t lost the joy in their music.
