Ife Ogunjobi Releases Debut Single "Standing Here"

Trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi maintains a full schedule: he’s one-fifth of jazz quintet Ezra Collective (who tore down the stage at Glastonbury 2023) and frequently plays with Wizkid — both on albums and at live shows, as well as contributing to other projects like Kadi & Nk-Ok’s The Sounds of Afrotronica, Yazmin Lacey’s version of “I’ll Never Stop Loving You” and “For The Culture,” the collaboration between Sons Of Kemet and D Double E. Now, however, he’s taken another step in a new direction by releasing “Standing Here,” his debut single as a bandleader.

“Standing Here” sees Ogunjobi display his signature bright tone atop a smooth-yet-energetic bed of bass and drums from Mutale Chashi and Zoé Pascal. Though his soaring, triumphant trumpet work is the bedrock of the song, there’s plenty of room for his contemporaries to flex their chops as well: pianist Deschanel Gordon receives an extensive solo at around the 1:45 mark, and uses it to take the listener on a joyous journey of his own.

Stream “Standing Here” now on both Apple Music and Spotify, and keep an eye out for more music from Ogunjobi soon.

Elsewhere in the world of jazz and Ezra Collective, check out Hypebeast’s extensive interview with the band during their residency at NYC’s Blue Note in April and get a look at Archetype, Ezra Collective keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones’ recently-released album with producer Maxwell Owin.