If there's one thing you can guarantee about the Mercury Prize shortlist, it's that there'll be a 'token' jazz nominee. It's a tag that's all too often seen scorn heaped on the (thoroughly deserving) albums in question and done scant justice to a thriving UK-wide jazz scene - and yet when push has come to shove, the award's judges have always fallen short of rewarding the likes of Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd or Sons of Kemet with the gong itself...

Except this year, the 'token jazz album' has only gone and won it!

Last night saw London outfit Ezra Collective awarded arguably the UK and Ireland's most prestigious music prize for their supreme second album, Where I'm Meant to Be. The ceremony was staged at Hammersmith's Eventim Apollo, and had earlier seen the group treat their audience to a live (and perhaps pre-emptive!) performance of standout track Victory Dance.

A thumping celebration of life, Where I'm Meant to Be marries cool confidence with bright energy, with call-and-response conversations between their ensemble parts a natural product of years improvising together. Featuring guest appearances from Sampa the Great, Kojey Radical, Emile Sandé, Steve McQueen and Nao, it's a record ideal fit to light up dancefloors and soundtrack dinner parties in equal measure. A more than worthy entry with which to break the UK jazz scene's Mercury Prize duck!

Where I'm Meant to Be is available to buy now in the formats listed below. Needless to say, we'd highly recommend picking up a copy!

CD (fold-out lyric poster) - £10.99
2LP (orange vinyl) [indies only] - £23.99
2LP (orange marbled / yellow marbled vinyl, gatefold sleeve, 14-page photobook) - £24.99

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