A long gap between two albums doesn’t always signal a creative drought. Joe Armon-Jones, one of the founders of the acclaimed Ezra Collective, remained very active following his critically acclaimed solo album Turn To Clear View (2019). He toured the world, built his own studio, and collaborated with a wide range of artists. But for the albums All The Quiet Part I and its successor Part II (2025), he took full control: he wrote, produced, and mixed the albums himself. The recordings, made with a group of top musicians including drummer Natcyet Wakili, bassist Mutale Chashi, percussionist Kwake Bass, and horn players Nubya Garcia and Ezra Collective’s James Mollison and Ife Ogunjobi, combine improvisation with dub techniques inspired by the pioneering sound engineer King Tubby. The result is a layered, adventurous sound centered on freedom, community, and musical imagination. Released on his own label, Aquarii Records, this two-part work marks a new artistic phase in which Armon-Jones further expands his signature blend of jazz, funk, and soul to include dub and sound system culture.
