Ezra Collective 9/11/26

Ezra Collective - Here Because Of Hope (Album).

Ezra Collective's fourth album is seventeen tracks long and split into three sections that follow Black music from Africa to the Caribbean and then to London. The band describes it as a journey from pain to joy, with hope as the thing that connects them. I went in curious, since jazz isn't something I usually listen to front to back, and I came out with mixed feelings.

"Part 1" is a short spoken word introduction read by Letitia Wright. It sets up the first section well enough, though I'll admit I skipped past it a few times on repeat listens.

"Blow Your Trumpet" is the first real song, and it's calmer than the title suggests. It's about believing in your own voice and speaking up, and I liked how the sadder undertones sit next to a brighter piano line instead of fighting it.

"Sweet Echo" is where the album really picked up for me. It draws from Ghanaian highlife, with fast layered drumming from Femi Koleoso and a trumpet and organ trading lines back and forth. It's hard to listen to without moving a little.

"Don't Worry" slows everything down but keeps the warmth. It has a relaxed groove that simmers instead of building, and it works as a breather after the two songs before it.

"Only Love" features Pa Salieu, and the song blends reggae, jazz, and Afrobeat into one groove. It's the track the band chose to introduce the album, and it makes sense, because it has the most energy and the clearest message, which is that love is the answer.

"Someday" is almost six minutes, the longest track here, and it takes its time. I appreciated that the band lets it develop naturally, but it's also one of the places where the album started to feel a little long.

"Part 2" is another spoken word piece from Letitia Wright, introducing the Caribbean section.

"Birdie Sings" is easily one of my favorites. It has a dub feel and a wall of brass that grabs you right away, and the horns playing together almost sound like people standing up against something. Ife Ogunjobi's trumpet carries a lot of emotion without needing any words.

"The Last Stand" is influenced by reggae and dub, and it keeps the Caribbean mood going with a looser, more relaxed groove. It's pleasant, but it didn't stand out to me the way the song before it did.

"Well Organised" features Lila Iké, and her voice fits the Caribbean theme naturally. It doesn't feel like a guest was added just for attention, which I think is why it works.

"El Corazón" is a salsa track with punchy brass and steady clave rhythms, and it's probably the biggest change in sound on the album. I didn't expect it, but the band commits to it fully, and that's why it works.

"Bunny on the Rise" brings in smooth, horn-driven Afrobeat that ties the Caribbean section back to its African roots. It's confident and easy to enjoy.

"Part 3" is the last spoken-word interlude, opening the London section of the album.

"All I Need" features Leona Lewis, and it's one of the few songs with a more traditional vocal. It's a nice change of pace, though it feels a bit separate from the more instrumental songs around it.

"Jubilee Feeling" has UK garage influences, with scattered, fast beats under layers of brass and a lot of keyboard work on top. It's a great showcase for how skilled the band is, even if it's a lot to take in at once.

"Black Flag" is another favorite. It feels like walking home from a club as the sun comes up, with James Mollison's saxophone leading over spacey keys and a rhythm section that never stops moving. A few reviewers heard Herbie Hancock in it, and I can see why.

The album closes with "Most High," featuring Libianca, where calypso, soul, and jazz all come together. It's a warm and celebratory ending, and it fits an album about finding joy in hard history.

Overall, I think this is a good album, but at seventeen tracks it asks a lot of the listener. The three-section structure gives it direction, and the playing is excellent throughout, but the spoken-word interludes interrupt the flow more than they help, and a handful of songs in the middle sound similar enough that they blur together. The best moments, like "Birdie Sings" and "Black Flag," are really strong, but not every track reaches that level. It's the first UK jazz album to hit number one, and there is plenty here to enjoy, but I found it easier to appreciate in pieces than all at once.

Verdict: Give It A Shot

Personal Favorites: "Birdie Sings," "Black Flag," and "El Corazón."