Ezra Collective: New Album Born from Pain and Hope
UK jazz group Ezra Collective discusses their upcoming fourth album 'Here Because of Hope', the power of dancefloors, and urges community action rather than reliance on government for arts support.
British jazz band Ezra Collective, currently one of the most prominent acts on the scene, gave an exclusive interview at the Love Supreme festival, sharing thoughts on music, dancefloors, and hopes for the future.
Drummer Femi Koleoso and keyboardist James Mollison recalled their favourite dancefloors. Mollison mentioned now-shuttered Passing Clouds in east London, while Koleoso remembered University of Dub nights at the Scala and Sunday sessions at the Haggerston pub, where a jazz jam and a disco night happened simultaneously – leaving him conflicted about which room to choose.
That pub became a pivotal place: Koleoso was first put in touch with his future mentor, Afrobeat legend Tony Allen. After a jazz jam, a man complimented Koleoso's playing and asked who his favourite drummer was. When Koleoso said Allen, the man laughed and later brought a phone with Allen on the line. Allen invited Koleoso to learn, and the drummer spent months taking overnight Megabus journeys from London to Paris for weekly lessons. "He focused on teaching me to take things away in my playing rather than adding," Koleoso said. "I still listen to recordings of those lessons and think about how to add more space."
The duo answered reader questions about favourite venues – from homecoming shows in London to Fela Kuti's Shrine in Lagos ("total mayhem – playing there ages you a decade") and a recent gig at Fuji Rock in Tokyo, where they had to lower the energy to calm a crowd that started crowd-surfing.
On supporting young musicians amid budget cuts, Koleoso urged self-reliance: "If you have an instrument and can play it, teach someone who can't. We go wrong by depending on local authorities and governments. We can be the change ourselves."
They announced their fourth album, 'Here Because of Hope', due in September. Koleoso explained: "The band is associated with joy, but this record is about being honest about pain. We've had devastating pain in recent years – from world events to losing a child at a youth club. The album was born from trying to bring joy while suffering – a reminder to enjoy each other's company and always love rather than hate."
