It's a classic technique used by magicians over the ages. As the classic Lover's Rock track 'Kunta Kinte Dub' comes to an end, the audience's attention is diverted away from the stage. A sea of faces turn towards the upper circle of Manchester's O2 Apollo where trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi and saxophonist James Mollison appear.
Then, as if by magic, the other three members of Ezra Collective are on stage. And before you know it, the gig is in full swing. READ MORE: Everything that happened on the night Manchester became the centre of the music world The afrobeat jazz band from London have been on quite the journey.
Forming at a youth club in Camden more than a decade ago, they now have a Mercury Prize to their name, winning the prestigious award in 2023 for their second album, Where I'm Meant to Be . Their talent has taken them all over the world with each trip to Manchester requiring a bigger venue as more and more people want to join the party. Starting out at Night and Day, they went on to play Gorilla and Deaf Institute before selling out Albert Hall last year.
But the beauty of this band is that it doesn't matter where they're booked. They can transform any size venue into a carnival of joy. Trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi and saxophonist James Mollison appear in the upper circle (Image: Sonic PR) Their third album, released in September of this year, sees the band stick to their winning formula.
Dance, No One's Watching captures the energy that the captivating quintet have become know.
