Ezra Collective return with Here Because of Hope and their biggest era yet

Ezra Collective are back with Here Because of Hope, a fourth album that traces the movement of Black music from West Africa and the Caribbean to Britain — and turns that journey into one of the band’s most expansive records yet.

Released today via Partisan Records, the album arrives with focus track “El Corazón” and a new live film, “Rehearsal Tapes”, capturing the collective energy that has helped take Ezra Collective from London’s grassroots jazz scene to some of the biggest stages in the world.

The record follows recent singles “Only Love” featuring Pa Salieu, “Well Organised” featuring Lila Iké and “Jubilee Feeling”, each representing a different stop on the album’s musical journey. Together, they move from West African influence through the Caribbean before arriving back in London, where UK jazz meets Funky House.

It’s a fitting next step for a band who have spent the last decade pushing jazz far beyond its traditional borders. Ezra Collective became the first jazz act to win the Mercury Prize before taking home the BRIT Award for Group of the Year, and their rise has taken them from the capital’s jazz community to Glastonbury, Sydney Opera House, Wembley Arena and the Royal Albert Hall.

Now they are taking Here Because of Hope around the world, with a special sold-out Roundhouse show in London on 16 September followed by a huge UK run next year, culminating in four sold-out nights at O2 Academy Brixton.

At its core, though, Here Because of Hope is about something much simpler: joy, community, movement and the power of music to connect people across generations. It feels less like a look back than a celebration of everything that came before — and what can come next.