photo: Joe Hart

As previously announced, London’s much-loved community-built live music series Church Of Sound is celebrating its tenth anniversary with the launch of its own record label, Church Of Sound Recordings, and its inaugural release, Clapton Hymns, Vol. 1: 10 Years of Church of Sound (2016–2026). Due out on November 20th, the 12-track compilation draws from an extensive archive of more than 130 performances recorded over the past decade at St. James the Great church in Hackney, capturing some of the most memorable moments from its history. Featuring artists from across the jazz spectrum and beyond, it celebrates the remarkable breadth of artists who have passed through its doors, from Makaya McCraven, Yussef Dayes, Nubya Garcia and Kokoroko to Moor Mother, Tony Allen and Jeff Parker.

Following the release of ‘Do What You Gotta Do’ by Kaidi Tatham & The First Word All Stars featuring Vanessa Freeman, and Tony Allen’s ‘Never (Lagos Never Gonna Be The Same)’, taken from his final live performances, Church Of Sound has just unveiled a third single, ‘Here Comes Ezra’, by incredibly talented, versatile and prolific guitarist and composer Jeff Parker. Recorded on January 24th, 2020, the performance finds Parker revisiting and extending the studio recording of ‘Here Comes Ezra’, originally released in 2016. A highlight of the evening, the recording captures the effortless interplay of a band that Church Of Sound co-founder Lex Blondin had long hoped to bring together, as he explains:

“Having Jeff Parker was a dream of ours from day dot, not just him but his line up read like our wish list of cats that we dreamed of having play for us. The band expanded on the tracks that made up his album The New Breed and the head nodder that is ‘Here Comes Ezra’ was blessed by the tastiest of solos by the man himself. The playing is the opposite of try hard, the musicians were in absolute control of their craft that night!”

Now listen to ‘Here Comes Ezra’ below.

The album’s November 20th release will coincide with the anniversary celebrations, as Church Of Sound makes its debut at the Barbican‘s Main Hall as part of the London Jazz Festival.