‘We Out Here’ Documentary on London Jazz Scene Now Streaming

News, Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Emma-Jean Thackray, Joe Armon-Jones

By DownBeat I May. 31, 2018

Nubya Garcia
(Photo: Adama Jollah)
Moses Boyd
(Photo: Olivier Lestoquoit)

Part of what’s remarkable about the contemporary London jazz scene is how the genre’s breadth is on display, filtered through disparate styles and cultural backgrounds.

“There’s so much in the word ‘jazz’ that it’s hard to define,” drummer Moses Boyd says in We Out Here: A LDN Jazz Story, a short documentary that details the city’s jazz scene, now available for streaming. It’s a story that tracks a number of British performers—including Boyd, Shabaka Hutchings, Joe Armon-Jones and scores of others—who have made significant inroads.

“There’s a constant pushing and desire to say something new, but also fully appreciate and take in what has been said before,” says Nubya Garcia amid the frank discussion of London’s music ecosystem, its longtail development, influences and how the music’s been perpetuated. The sheer number of people interviewed for the We Out Here movie—as well as the folks who recorded a companion compilation of the same name—should give viewers pause; there seems to be enough talent in London to propel the music for decades.

For more information about the documentary, as well as the compilation, visit the We Out Here website. DB