◇ image via WikipediaEzra Collective
Ezra Collective is an act on the Starverb influence map. Their sound grew out of Sampa the Great, Robert Glasper and Kendrick Lamar. Those roots explain a lot about how Ezra Collective arrange songs and choose their tones. They run in the same orbit as Alfa Mist, Nubiyan Twist, Kamaal Williams, Terrace Martin and Robert Glasper, sharing audiences, venues and reference points rather than a straight line of influence. Their influence carried into Jorja Smith, Nao, Sampa the Great, Loyle Carner and Zara McFarlane, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 18 connections around Ezra Collective, reaching back through Sampa the Great and forward to Jorja Smith. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.
Background
Ezra Collective are a British jazz quintet composed of drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso, bassist TJ Koleoso, keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, and tenor saxophonist James Mollison, who met at the jazz youth programme Tomorrow's Warriors and formed their group soon afterwards. The group fuses elements of afrobeat, calypso, reggae, hip-hop, soul and jazz, and frequently collaborates with fellow London-based jazz musicians such as Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd. They were the recipients of the 2023 Mercury Music Prize. Their 2024 single "God Gave Me Feet for Dancing" was chosen by Barack Obama for his list of 25 favourite songs of the year. At the Brit Awards 2025, the Ezra Collective became the first jazz band to win the "Group of the Year" accolade.
Hover or focus a star to read the connection. Click any star to make it the new centre.
Ezra Collective connections
Ezra Collective grew out of Sampa the Great, Robert Glasper and Kendrick Lamar, shares an orbit with Alfa Mist, Nubiyan Twist, Kamaal Williams and Terrace Martin, went on to shape Jorja Smith, Nao, Sampa the Great and Loyle Carner. 18 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.
Who influenced Ezra Collective
Sounds and acts that shaped Ezra Collective.
Artists similar to Ezra Collective
Artists and scenes sharing an orbit with Ezra Collective.
Bands Ezra Collective shaped
Where the influence of Ezra Collective travelled next.
Ideas. Vote for what you want to see next
Shapes the roadmapMusic Personality
Your taste as a shareable persona card, with a witty roast.
Quizzes & badges
Music quizzes that earn badges and climb a leaderboard.
Friend / taste matching
Match your taste with friends and see your overlap.
Gaps
Bands you've missed that listeners with similar taste already love.