The jazz collective were outsiders to clinch the prize going into last weeks’ ceremony (September 7th) beating off favourites Jockstrap, Loyle Carner and Young Fathers at London’s Eventim Apollo.

Now that everything has died down from their victory dance from last weeks’ Mercury Prize for 2023, we take a look at the majesty of Ezra Collective and their stellar project Where I’m Meant To Be.

Amongst a throne room of quirky individuals, alternative talent and magic acts of contemporary performances swirling with oddity, the larger-than-life jazz collective collapsed to the floor before they managed to haul themselves on stage amongst a flurry of confetti as bandleader and drummer Koleoso swooned at the plaque, “First of all, let me thank god because, if a jazz band winning the Mercury Prize doesn’t make you believe in God, I don’t know what will.” But it wasn’t anything short of a miracle. It was an award given out to five dedicated individuals who met at a youth group. It’s so much more than an album of superior positivity and lush bone solos. It’s an album caked in community togetherness, spirit and an overwhelming love for music. Which perhaps, goes hand in hand as to why they were the chosen winners for such a prestigious award. It just works out that the album is class, too.

A testimony to both the UK Jazz scene and the support and love shown to the young adults who are wishing to pick up a musical instrument,

Hallmarked as our Album of the Month back in November last year, this is Ezra Collective’s Where I’m Meant To Be – your winners for this years’ Mercury Prize.

As we saw the British jazz quintet of Ezra Collective take to the stage in Ronnie Scotts as a headline slot in 2017 – an occasion all in itself for those in the UK jazz scene – we knew that Ezra Collective were bringing something special.

Widely hailed as one of the groups pioneering the new-wave of UK jazz, Ezra Collective are the perfect insignia for the love of all things music. Earning their stripes via Tomorrow’s Warriors originally as a youth band, they have since sprawled into the go-to architects during a new phase for London’s next musical journey. Interloping their adoration for UK Grime from the “blueprints” of Boy Better Know, the “Everything London” collective weave and splash a multitude of jazz sub-genres, grime and funky afro-beat digs into a cocktail of blitzing tricks and dizzying instrumentation. All paired with slick confidence, mind.

Staking a claim as rightful protagonists to the country’s burgeoning jazz resurgence, the collective’s new album, Where I’m Meant To Be follows on from the trailed footsteps of 2019’s You Can’t Steal My Joy. When all hives of musical activity were abruptly stopped due to the pandemic, the collective really had to pause and think about their next course of action, resulting them into a real creative transition. Championed with refined character and a new sense of time on their hands, the new era for the group see them venturing down the path with raised stakes, as call-and-response improvisation ebb and flow between a 14-track ensemble of fluidity, funky hybridisation, all building up to true artistic creativity.

After catching them at a live + signing tour in the quaint attic-interior of Rough Trade Nottingham during the back of last year, I can’t commend the group enough – a bright class of individuals that put their hearts and minds to everything they thrown into their world of music.

Catch their winning speech below. Not too long after this, the group took to the stage again for an equally magnetic performance bringing this years’ award ceremony to a close.

You can read our full review here.