A blend of virtuosic players, skilled producers and inspired composers join forces to create a unique, infectious sound drawing on jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, latin, soul, reggae and dance music – expect ultra-tight musicianship and a powerful 9 piece, big band sound.

Since forming in 2011 at the Leeds College of Music, Nubiyan Twist, led by Tom Excell, have risen to become one of the leading groups in the fertile UK music scene. Known for their eclectic blend of styles and powerful sound, the virtuosic nine-piece band’s thrilling exploration of tight musicianship and infectious grooves have consistently mesmerised audiences.

Their 2015 self-titled debut album and acclaimed ‘Jungle Run’ in spring 2019 led to their third massive album ‘Freedom Fables’, released on Strut Records in March 2021. The album was heavily playlisted on BBC 6 Music alongside live sessions with Gilles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs and Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2, plus their UK TV debut on Later…with Jools Holland.

UK tours in 2019, 2021 and 2022 included sold out dates across the country and they’ve rocked festival stages at Glastonbury, Wilderness, Green Man, We Out Here, WOMAD, Shambala, Love Supreme, Boomtown, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, and David Byrne’s Meltdown as well as supporting legends such as Tony Allen, Ebo Taylor and Nile Rogers and Chic. In Europe, alongside their own headline tours they’ve performed at renowned jazz festivals including Supersonic, Jazz A Vienne, Jazz A Junas, Prague International Jazz Festival and Montreux Jazz amongst others.

Following 2024’s acclaimed ‘Find Your Flame’, praised by Rolling Stone, Jazzwise, NPR and more, 5th album ‘Chasing Shadows’ pushes the band’s sound further into new soulful territory under Excell’s expert guidance, featuring bright new vocalist Eniola and a glowing cast of icons and innovators. Malian star Fatoumata Diawara lights up the title track on a powerful slice of Afrobeat, Joe Armon-Jones leads the dub workout ‘Rhythm Of You’, Patrice Rushen steps in on piano in ‘Threads’, and the band take it back to their hip hop roots on great collabs with The Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown, Ghanaian MC M.anifest and London dancehall favourite, Mr Williamz.

On ‘Chasing Shadows’, Nubiyan Twist continue to look outwards with their music but keep the focus firmly on humanity and positivity. It is an album which crosses continents and which shamelessly celebrates our collective strength.