Ezra Collective Official Website | Ezra Collective on Faceboook | Ezra Collective on Twitter | Ezra Collective on Instagram

Synergy in motion, London five-piece Ezra Collective are proving themselves as a harmonious tour de force. Their sound nods respectfully to a classic jazz footprint, celebrating the originators whilst simultaneously carving a path solely their own. Ezra Collective marry the delicate technicalities of jazz musicianship with afrobeat and hip hop, tied together by a sound that’s unmistakably London. Their live show is one of dynamic union; the strength of their partnership shines in performances that are commanding yet sensitive, soulful and pertinently groove-laced.

Following a joyous and stunningly cohesive show in May 2016, Boiler Room rightly labelled the group as “pioneering the new-wave of U.K. jazz”. As the genre enjoys a new lease of life that is gaining momentum across the country, Ezra Collective are adding their own fresh and imaginative face to a style that continues to be “as entertaining as it is educational” (Trench). In a year that saw them sell out legendary London venue Ronnie Scott’s not once but twice, 2017 also bought with it the release of their genre-bending second EP, Juan Pablo: The Philosopher. After Ezra Collective took the EP on a successful tour across the U.K and Europe and completely sold out of the vinyl, Juan Pablo: The Philosopher went on to win the accolade of Best Jazz Album at Gilles Peterson’s esteemed Worldwide Awards in January 2018.

Tawiah Official Website | Tawiah on Facebook | Tawiah on Twitter | Tawiah on Instagram

Tawiah’s voice has been discovered and admired by the likes of upper echelon artist like Mark Ronson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Cee Lo Green, The Guillemots and Gilles Peterson.

Like many of the chart-topping elite, Tawiah is a graduate of the Brit School. Having the likes of Adele and Leona Lewis amongst her contemporaries drove Tawiah to begin working with a production team comprised of Blue and Jodi Milliner. Tawiah along with both musician and producer have worked tirelessly to forge Tawiah’s special sound.

The South Londoner was thrust into industry spotlight when Mark Ronson personally requested she tour with him as the front woman and voice of his touring band on his 2007 worldwide tour. For some time, she was entrusted to lend her voice to songs made famous by Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, and Mary J. Blige. Remarkably, Tawiah had embarked on a series of global tours before she had even begun any serious recording work, regularly substituting for Amy Winehouse during performances of Ronson’s biggest hit, ‘Valerie’ in front of a crowd of thousands.

In 2008, Tawiah independently released her debut EP ‘In Jodi’s Bedroom’ which quickly became a cult favorite on Britain’s underground music scene, ultimately winning her Gilles Peterson’s Radio 1 Worldwide Award for Best Newcomer. Her song “Watch Out” was subsequently voted the 2nd best song of the year by his station. “Every Step”, the second single from her self released EP, went on to make iTunes single of the week.

In 2011, Tawiah was featured on Cee Lo Green’s official remix for “I Want You” and filmed a documentary with Mark Ronson and Guy Chambers for the BBC. Wale tapped her to release a remake of the Method Man featuring Mary J Blige hit “All I Need”. She later went on to perform live with Mark Ronson and Erykah Badu capping off an amazing early career stint. Tawiah has spent the last few years writing, recording and polishing her own brand of alternative soul.

Her latest release, “Freedom Drop”, is clearly more than just a mixtape. Collaborating again with Jodi Milliner, with production and features from Sam Beste of Hejira, Ghana hip hop sensation Wanlov and vocal talent Muhsinah (The Weekend, N.E.R.D, Common), it is a melodic reflection of the past few years of Tawiah’s career. It is worldly and soulful. Not only a representation of her life but a representation of the listeners and fans that have grown to appreciate her music.

Yazmin Lacey on Facebook | Yazmin Lacey on Twitter

Yazmin Lacey brings a glorious fusion of neo-soul and jazz all in her uniquely laidback style.

Since the release of her debut self-released EP, “Black Moon” Yazmin has made live appearances on Jazz FM, BBC Radio 4, 1Xtra and NTS, & received widespread acclaim across the airwaves, including BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Worldwide FM and Mi Soul, plus Spotify love from the likes of The Independent and heavy support from DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan and Jamie Cullum.

There’s a lot more to come from this Notts-based Londoner yet.

Emma-Jean Thackray Official Website | Emma-Jean Thackray on Facebook | Emma-Jean Thackray on Twitter

Emma-Jean Thackray is an award winning composer/ producer/ arranger/ instrumentalist/ singer and as a recent RBMA alumni, has been described by RBMA as “one of the UK’s most exciting new jazz artists”, as “somewhere between Madlib and Ornette Coleman” by Djam La Revue, “one to watch” by the London Evening Standard and as “supremely talented… the sound of South London” by Sounds Of The Universe. Having trained at top UK conservatories in both jazz and composition she is pretty fucking good at loads of stuff, with acclaimed work as a producer, as a composer for large ensembles, as an arranger, a musical director, an educator, a solo performer and as a band leader with her quartet WALRUS.

Gilles Peterson Official Website | Gilles Peterson on Facebook | Gilles Peterson on Twitter | Gilles Peterson on Instagram

Best known as a radio presenter on Saturday afternoons on BBC 6Music and as an international club DJ, Gilles Peterson is also an avid record collector, a curator, a music producer and record label boss. Every year he puts on two large events – the Worldwide Awards in London which are his annual showcase of that years best music and the Worldwide Festival which has expanded to two editions – one in south of France in July and one in Switzerland in March. He also presents a syndicated weekly radio show that is broadcast all over the globe, from Shanghai and Sydney to France and Germany.

He has a long history of running record labels, including Acid Jazz in the late Eighties, Talkin Loud in the Nineties through to his current venture, Brownswood Recordings, which releases some of the best underground music around. As a curator, Gilles holds the record for compilation releases, having put together over 100 compilations as well as unique projects such as the recent remix album for Melanie Di Biasio and the Worldwide FM radio channel for computer game GTA. As a remixer and producer he has been involved in a number of projects around the world, including the Havana Cultura series of albums and culminating with 2014’s Sonzeira album, where
Gilles went to Brazil with collaborators Rob Gallagher, Dil Harris and Kassin and worked with some of Brazil’s finest musicians to record the album ‘Brasil Bam Bam Bam’, with featured vocalists including Elsa Suarez, Seu Jorge and Emanuelle Araujo, which has been followed by the second album in the Sonzeira project, ‘Tam Tam Tam Re-imagined’. Other recent projects include a Sun Ra compilation album and the latest in the Havana Culutura series, which is a documentary film (‘La Clave’) and associated album on Cuban rumba.

New initiatives include the launch of the online radio station, Worldwide FM, broadcasting from its London HQ and from studios around the world. Meanwhile Gilles has been appointed Creative Director of WeTransfer, a role with an open brief to work together on exciting new projects.