Ezra Collective is the wild beating heart of the English jazz scene. The group was formed in 2012 in London and uses jazz as a lauch pad to connect with hip-hop, soul, calypso, Afrobeat, and reggae. Their influences include D’Angelo, Robert Glasper, and Fela Kuti. Success came soon after the release of their first album, You Can’t Steal My Joy (2019), which earned them rave reviews in The Guardian. The quintet became the first jazz band to win the Mercury Prize. They also snagged a BRIT Award for Best British Band and sold out Wembley Arena. Last year, they chalked up another cool achievement when Barack Obama listed their song God Gave Me Feet For Dancing on his favorite music of 2024 list. The former president heard it on their latest album Dance, No One’s Watching, on which Ezra Collective collaborates with artists like Ghanaian rapper M.anifest and South African singer Moonchild Sanelly.
