For many, jazz is a genre only experienced when being placed on hold. Sitting on the line for a few minutes is more often than not followed by the sweet, grainy musings of a royalty-free jazz quartet. Bebop often wafts quietly through the air of densely populated cafés, serving as nothing more than background ambience. It is this commonplace nature of the style that has contributed to the supposed “death of jazz” in recent years. Fortunately, a new vanguard is leading the renaissance of jazz. Ezra Collective’s most recent effort, entitled “Dance, No One’s Watching,” is a shining reminder of jazz’s viable influence.
London has become a well-renowned scene for jazz in recent years. The U.K.’s largest city boasts many clubs, welcoming the genre’s most cutting-edge artists. One such band, the Ezra Collective, continues the tradition of adding a tasteful spin to jazz while remaining faithful to its roots. Led by Femi Keleoso on drums, the jazz-funk five-piece collaborates frequently within the London scene, making waves since their debut EP “Chapter 7” in 2016.
“Dance, No One’s Watching” finds the band fresh off a 2023 Mercury Prize win with a more confident sound than ever. The album is dedicated to the art of dancing, and something becomes abundantly obvious upon the first listen: this project guides you through a night out. Listeners are introduced to this environment on “Intro,” as the band bobs and weaves through a large dinner party, with conversations floating through the background of the short jam. This charming opener is then followed by what the listener will soon realize to be Ezra Collective’s bread and butter: groove. “The Herald” brings the party to the forefront, quickly setting the tone for the rest of the album. A ridiculously tight horn section soars over a bright and vibrant rhythm section, making it borderline impossible for listeners to remain still.
This album ebbs and flows beautifully; Blisteringly energetic tunes like “Ajala” morph directly into sleek and funky instrumentals like “The Traveller.” Small journeys like these end in tender string-supported ballads like “in the dance. (Act 2),” and the listener is grounded for just a moment before settling into the silky Afro-R&B track “No One’s Watching Me.” This song is a high point in the album, featuring burgeoning neo-soul singer (and fellow Brit) Olivia Dean. Ezra Collective plays the role of backing band on this song, supporting Dean’s vocals beautifully.
Ezra Collective remains faithful to their jazz roots throughout “Dance, No One’s Watching,” fully realizing the allure of a live jazz band. Tracks like “Shaking Body” and “Expensive” transport the listener to a tightly-packed jazz club in which Ezra Collective has the room captivated in rhythm. The crowd participation of this element makes it an even more fun listening experience. Many songs feature gang vocals and clapping, making it feel like the listener is in the room. This energy dissipates and resurges for the last two songs of the album: “Have Patience,” the penultimate track, is a direct homage to the iconic solo piano interludes of legends like Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal. “Everybody,” the closer, secures this album as proof of jazz’s palpable pulse, with soaring horns and kindly melodies reassuring the listener that this is not a goodbye, but a see you later.
Ezra Collective’s “Dance, No One’s Watching” is a masterfully tailored anthology of Afrobeats, jazz, funk, and R&B. Ezra Collective melds face-melting musicianship with tasteful and thoughtful melodies to create something incredibly fun and full of life. London scene collaborators like Yazmin Lacey and Moonchild Sanelly boost this album’s atmosphere even further, adding a lyrical component to Ezra Collective’s beautiful instrumentals. This album’s clear jazz influence will satisfy the ear of a seasoned jazz listener, and demand the attention of anyone who is just getting into the genre. “Dance, Nobody’s Watching” is a statement to the world: jazz is alive and well in London.
