Often London is considered to be the hub for the UK Jazz scene. But the modern Jazz movement resonates across the corners of these isles and we want to shed light on that. Today, we bring you a very exciting collective from Leeds in another TBP exclusive release. TC & The Groove Family are a 10-piece collective who capture the afro-funk fusion essence in their brand of Jazz. Led by drummer Tim Cook, yet each individual is a musician in their own right and adds to the special of this Fela-Kuti inspired ensemble.
In these weird times, it was our pleasure to be able to electronically connect with the ensemble to learn more about them and their debut single, Let’s Start.
Who are TC & The Groove Family?
The collective describes itself as a ‘family of musicians’, establishing their relationship at University. Prior to the band forming, they had seen each other play and work on different projects such as Mamilah, Long Legged Creatures and Necktr. Until Tim Cook put the group together for a recital. They made magic and have been jamming since. You may have even caught them playing at Tight Lines or as a supporting act for Yussef Dayes.
Their debut single and TBP exclusive Let’s Start hits you with an Afrobeats-meets-Jazz groove from the outset. Following this is a delectable brass section. The track takes you on a journey constructing and deconstructing the different fusions of style that make up this single, finishing off with a new garage groove towards the end. TC & The Groove Family make a powerful, joy-filled sound that takes in music from across the globe and unites it into one glorious dancefloor fusion; a tasty stew of Ghanian highlife, Nigerian afrobeat, Brazilian samba, Caribbean soul and Afro-Cuban rhythms fused together with fierce breakbeats and explosive basslines.
Check the incredible vibes above on Let’s Start above and get to know the collective below.
Your music in three words…
Energetic, International, Powerful!
On the message of Let’s Start…
It is all about moving forward as a stronger society in the name of peace, justice and unity. We’re angry with the situation in the world, the institutional racism and the politics of division championed by the UK government and Trump in the US – it’s time for change. We want to be the generation that’s going to change things for the better, and we want our music to be a tool in uniting people that are all for diversity, love and community.
On the influence of their hometown, Leeds…
Leeds has influenced us massively – it’s the city where we all met and started playing together, but everyone in the band is from a different part of the country, so there’s a whole load of different energies that brings into play. Our percussionist Paolo is from Italy too, so he brings some extra Mediterranean flavour to the mix. Leeds is home to a great jazz scene, championed by the legend Lubi Jovanovic and his Soul Rebels / RE Soul events, and label / promoter Tight Lines, who’ve helped to galvanise Leeds’ diverse, young Jazz scene.
On making music in a pandemic…
The pandemic has been pretty awful for us, we’re not gonna lie! We had all of our gigs, festivals and wider music work cancelled, and it’s been pretty tough to take. Plus, as a 10-piece it was impossible to all meet up during lockdown, so we’ve not all been in the same room for ages! It’s been an interesting time to take stock, crack on with some practice and rediscover some old passions, but from a musical perspective we can’t wait for this to all be over.
On live music in a pandemic…
We’re itching to get back to playing live, and when the moment comes it’s gonna be full of joy. Our music comes to life when we play together live, and expressing energy and celebrating the present moment is a huge aspect of our collective identity. We’re definitely open to doing live stream performances as a way to connect with our audiences and share our love and energy safely
On supporting TC & The Groove Family…
Pre-save and stream our new release ‘Let’s Start’ out Friday October 2!
Pre-save on Spotify:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/tcandthegroovefamily/lets-start-2
Pre-order on Bandcamp: https://tcandthegroovefamily.bandcamp.com/releases
Follow TC & The Groove Family on Instagram
