'Tell Them I’m Here’ Demands Ife Ogunjobi On Sophmore Solo Project

[Credit: Elliot Hensford]

British-Nigerian trumpeter, composer and producer Ife Ogunjobi continues his musical evolution as a solo musician with the release of his new forward-thinking and expressive EP ‘Tell Them I’m Here’.

Known for being a member of jazz band Ezra Collective, who were the winners of the 2023 Mercury Prize and also the most recent BRIT Award for Group of the Year, he ventures out on his own on his latest record.

Consisting of five tracks and released via Out Of (The) Blue, an expansive world is built through a textured approach that reveals the vast and intricate interior of Ife’s psyche, and a telling of what has shaped him. When listening to Tell Them I’m Here, a firm voicing of his existence and right to breathe, it is also a celebration of what has shaped and guided him here.

You hear the sounds of Nigeria, highlife, afrobeats, Hip-Hop in particular, west coast rap and R&B, as well as soul and free-flowing jazz, which encourages running throughout.

The EP starts with ‘East Street Market, which is a track inspired by Walworth Road in South East London, home to a long-standing Afro-Caribbean community.

Reflecting everyday life in this pocket of the world, you hear the jinky highlife percussion of Fuji, which bounces and perfectly captures the feeling of rushing about, and the beautiful trumpet melodies that rise above the chaos.

Moving into 'Zimbabwe', a spiritual return to southern Africa. Ife plays wholesome trumpet arrangements against the warmth of a groovy bassline. On the trumpet, he expresses longing and yearning as he draws out the notes with tenderness.

“Can we take a break after this one?” asks Ife at the start of his track ‘Cali’ featuring Samm Henshaw, who, ignoring the question, dives straight into the more upbeat and free-flowing offering. The only vocalist on the project, Samm, raps with a bounce and swagger in one moment, and then delivers a soulful croon in another, over the improvised jazz-hip-hop arrangement.

Now, deeper and fuller, Ife surrenders to feeling and allows it to take over without a fight. The fourth track, ‘Don’t Leave’ bleeds loss and heartache. Muted notes from an acoustic guitar are strummed gently underneath, but it is the trumpet which gives the impression of calling out, pleading almost.

The last track of the project, ‘Real One’, signals the end of the project. The tempo picks up again, but the vulnerability is maintained. Encouraging stillness and thoughtfulness, Ife gifts us one last moment of introspection.

Listen here