LONDON’S Ezra Collective have been on quite the journey – since forming in a youth club in Camden more than a decade ago, they’ve worked their way up the ranks, successfully and deservedly shifting from the alternative to the mainstream, and becoming the first jazz group to win the Mercury Prize in 2023 for the exquisite ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’.
On each return to Glasgow, the venues have been getting bigger and bigger for the quintet – they namecheck King Tuts and Oran Mor tonight – but none seem more fitting for their music than the historic dance ballroom in The Barrowlands.
On a sold-out Friday night no less, the band arrive in support of their recent album ‘Dance Like No One’s Watching’ – and that’s exactly what happens in the gig’s triumphant runtime. Delivering around 100 minutes of jazz, afrobeat and funk, what ensues is an absolute masterclass in showmanship and musicianship – and the crowd just doesn’t stop moving throughout.
They set the tone at the start of the evening when the band’s leader and drummer Femi Koleoso encourages each audience member to say hello to a stranger, get comfortable in their surroundings, and prepare to dance. He’s the leader of this beautiful sermon from the very start until the end – unrelenting in his mission to spread joy and positivity. Without ever treading into cheesy territory, it’s all done with passion and charisma – and he gets an instant reaction from the Glasgow audience.
As for the set, it feels like a living, breathing expression of the album’s message: to dance without inhibition or regret, and to embrace joy even in challenging times. They seamlessly transition from one killer album track to another – the likes of ‘The Herald’ and ‘Ajala’ go down a storm, with the crowd nailing the refrains. It’s a fine art to deliver such a rousing set without any vocals, yet there’s melody in abundance and it’s utterly infectious. They expertly control the tempo throughout too, bringing it down at times to make way for unbelievable solos, to then bring it back up again and get the crowd back to full fever pitch.
At one point, saxophonist Mollison and trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi dive into the middle of the crowd and play from there – reinforcing that feeling of communal celebration – while mini mosh pits open up across the room as the giddy audience gets swept away in the joyous atmosphere. It’s the ultimate Friday night party – led by expert music with a real passion for their craft, spurring each other on stage and always keeping the groove alive. Even the Yazmin Lacey fronted ‘God gave me feet for dancing’ – usually sultry and loungey on record – is elevated in person, the saxophone and trumpet adding layers of soul and fire, and transforming it into a euphoric anthem.
In a time when the world can feel like a particularly dark place, Ezra Collective are the perfect injection of joy we all need. An antidote to everything happening outside, the Barrowland Ballroom became a space for joy and celebration on Friday night, allowing music and dance to reign supreme.
Photo Credit: Aliyah Otchere
