Ezra Collective bring the bliss on ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’
Ezra Collective is the brainchild of their bandleader, Femi Koleoso, who has served up another portion of delectable jazz with the assistance of the super-talented TJ Koleoso, Joe Armon-Jones, Ife Ogunjobi, and tenor James Mollison.
Over the last few years, jazz has become fashionable once more, and Ezra Collective have played a significant part in its resurgence. Their 2019 debut, You Can’t Steal My Joy, is a shortcut route to escapism I’ve taken on plenty of occasions since its release. On their second album, the Londoners have again served up a pocketful of sunshine on the spirit-lifting, Where I’m Meant To Be.
The album is littered with guest appearances and begins with the punchy, ‘Life Goes On’ featuring Sampa The Great, who thrives off the carnival atmosphere created by Ezra Collective. It’s a spirit that bleeds across the entire album, and it’s impossible not to feel good after diving into their world.
The group was formed after meeting at Tomorrow’s Warriors, a jazz course run by maestro Gary Crosby, and the five-piece bonded from their shared passion. The chemistry is clear across everything Ezra Collective create, and the seven-minute instrumental, ‘Welcome To My World’, is a prime example of their innate relationship as musicians.
The record does meander somewhat aimlessly at times, but the point of the album is to allow listeners to get lost in the sheer brilliance of the musicianship on offer. If you want to zone out and absorb an extremely tight celebration of world music, then Where I’m Meant To Be is the record for you.
‘Words by Steve McQueen’ does as the title suggests and features a recording of a conversation with British director Steve McQueen, who poignantly says: “Don’t come into somebody’s house with two arms swinging, come and bring something.” His message embodies the spirit of the album, which revels in the power of positivity.
Admittedly, not all of the ambitious album works perfectly, ‘Smile’ misses the mark, but Ezra Collective makes up for the faux-pas on the next track, ‘Live Strong’, which is the centre-piece for the record.
Where I’m Meant To Be is an album tailor-made for a sunny afternoon on the West Holts stage at Glastonbury. It’s difficult to fully appreciate it without listening to Ezra Collective do their thing in that perfect environment. However, it’s still a rapturous missile of joy which deserves to be given a spin, even if you don’t traditionally listen to jazz.
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