Project House, Leeds 7th November 2024
Ezra Collective are on a mission to party and it shows in so many ways. There’s Femi Koleoso’s urging to shake hands, to make new friends, to dance, to change the world through mixing and dancing. There’s the non-stop riding beats, there’s the smiles all round from the band and there is the anti-focus on image. Look at the pictures here – all dull and dark. The band don’t want a flashy image, they want a reputation for dance energy (they turned on a brilliant light show as soon as the photographers left the photo-pit). What they want is physical exuberance.
Every tune is a banger, for ninety minutes. None of the gentle rolling sound of ‘Palm Wine’ or ‘God Gave Me Feet For Dancing’ as heard on the recent album – instead those tunes are ramped up into tunes to leap about to. Similarly, the vocals are absent and the focus on the instruments.
What a sound! Femi Koleoso played what seemed like double speed on the drum kit, playing a couple of incendiary solos, both horns provided lots of colour, whether call and response, solo, or both at once, punching the sound or lyrically soaring. TJ Koleoso on bass was super-tuneful and linked things nicely, interacting with the others, making eye contact and spiritual contact, keeping the band together. When the horns dropped back it was apparent how much is about those beats, as bass, drums and keys made the percussion groove organically. The sounds Joe Armon-Jones conjured on the keys were absolutely pivotal. Frequently using the classic Seventies electric jazz piano sound, a classic jazz feeling rode atop the rhythms.
The band played a sold-out gig in this same 1,000 capacity venue only a month ago, selling out tonight as well – an amazing achievement. It’s not an easy venue, being a bit barn-like and characterless, yet the sound is expertly managed and Ezra Collective look to have brought their own sound and light crew, making every instrument distinct and bass notes clearly heard. It’s a great sound, blending jazz, reggae, soul, afrobeat; anything that moves the feet.
They’ve worked really hard. Last time I saw them was two years ago, to a 400 capacity venue. They played equally well but there was an extra polish to the presentation that shows the work that’s gone in recently. This is a band that has visited Leeds over six years or so, shining up their chops.
We all know Femi has a great record collection, thanks to his Radio Six slots, but I see now he’s a fan of British film director, Steve McQueen, playing the obscurely wonderful Kunta Kinte Dub by The Revolutionaries before the set and Janet Kay’s ‘Silly Games’, both featured in the Lovers Rock film about a Blues. He has a big heart too and big ambitions. He takes time to tell us how important Leeds is to the band and how important a local youth project is (MAP) to young people learning music. He tells us that we can change the world through being our best selves and, after an hour of dancing, we agree. As George Clinton said: “free your ass and your mind will follow”.
We were lucky enough to catch the band two years and a day earlier:
Ezra Collective – Live in Leeds 2022 – “everyone a soloist, everyone tighter than tight”