Ezra Collective

Here Because of Hope Ezra Collective

Following a decade of redefining contemporary jazz, Mercury Prize and BRIT Award-winning quintet Ezra Collective return with their most ambitious and personal album to date, "Here Because Of Hope." Conceived as a sweeping body of work divided into three spiritual and geographical movements, the album explores the movement of Black people across continents and generations, tracing connections from Africa to the Caribbean and ultimately to the streets of London.

Formed in London’s youth clubs, Femi Koleoso, TJ Koleoso, Joe Armon-Jones, James Mollison and Ife Ogunjobi have built a reputation for making jazz vibrant, inclusive and impossible to ignore. With "Here Because Of Hope," they expand that vision further, exploring a powerful question: why does so much Black music, often born from struggle and hardship, radiate such joy?

The album’s answer is found in its title. Hope serves as the central theme, representing a belief passed across generations and oceans that a better future is always possible. Through richly layered compositions and an expansive musical palette, Ezra Collective celebrate resilience, community and cultural connection while honouring the enduring influence of the African diaspora.

Featuring collaborations with Pa Salieu, Lila Iké and Leona Lewis, "Here Because Of Hope" reaches across the full breadth of the global Black musical experience, including the American traditions that emerged from African and Caribbean roots and helped shape jazz itself. Warm, uplifting and deeply human, the album captures Britain’s most vital jazz group at the height of their creative powers.