SEED Ensemble are a 10-piece British jazz ensemble led by

Cassie Kinoshi Cassie Kinoshi is a British composer, saxophonist and bandleader who leads the group SEED Ensemble, who were nominated for a Mercury Prize award in 2019. Biography Kinoshi grew up in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, and attended T ...

. In 2019, they were nominated for the

Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...

. ''

Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...

'' has described them as part of a "new wave of British jazz". SEED Ensemble's trumpet player, Sheila Maurice-Grey also plays with Kinoshi in the groups

Kokoroko Kokoroko is a British London-based septet, led by Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth playing a fusion of funk and highlife. In February 2019, they were named "ones to watch" by ''The Guardian'', after their track "Abusey Junction" garnered ...

and Nérija''.'' Shirley Tetteh plays guitar for both SEED Ensemble and ''Nérija,'' while tuba player Theon Cross also plays with Shabaka Hutchings in Sons of Kemet. Maurice-Grey also collaborates with

Little Simz Simbiatu "Simbi" Abisola Abiola Ajikawo (born 23 February 1994), better known by her stage name Little Simz, is a British Rapping, rapper and Acting, actress. She rose to prominence with the independent release of her first three albums: ''A Cur ...

, while former keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones plays with jazz group

Ezra Collective 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 Tomorr ...

. Completing the band are Miguel Gorodi on trumpet, Chelsea Carmichael on tenor saxophone and flute, Joe Bristow on trombone, Deschanel Gordon on piano, Rio Kai on double bass and Patrick Boyle on drums. SEED Ensemble released their first full album, ''Driftglass,'' in 2019 on the Jazz re:freshed label. The album's nomination for the 2019 Mercury Prize led to an 85% increase in sales of their album and a 102% rise in Spotify streams, according to Music Week. Kinoshi stated that the album, for which they were nominated, was a “celebration of what it means to be a young black British person”. The album was named after

Samuel R. Delany Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ; born April 1, 1942) is an American writer and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays on science fiction, literature, sexual orientation, sexuality, and ...

’s 1971 collection of science-fiction stories. ''Driftglass'' was positively reviewed by

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

, who described the style as a fusion of "African, Caribbean, dance grooves and 60s Blue Note".

Clash Magazine ''Clash'' is a music and fashion magazine and website based in the United Kingdom. It is published four times a year by Music Republic Ltd, whose predecessor Clash Music Ltd went into liquidation. The magazine won awards including the Best New M ...

called the album "a bold record", and Kinoshi "a stellar instrumentalist".

References

{{reflist British jazz ensembles Musical groups from London Musical groups established in 2016 Black British music Black British artists 2016 establishments in England