Rhythms pulse. Skins Resonate. Feet shuffle and heartbeats quicken. Waaju’s energy builds, weaving psychedelic soundscapes through potent beats, transcending the stage and melting into bodies. With a unique approach to a familiar sound, they rise from London’s rich cultural palette, proving UK Jazz doesn’t have to sound the way we expect it to.
After two highly successful studio records, Waaju's upcoming collaborative album 'Alouane' is alongside Moroccan Gnawa music legend Majid Bekkas, released on BBE Records on 11th October. Their Maida Vale live session on Gilles Peterson's 6 Music show was described by him as "one of the most well-received shows I've ever had here, whether on Radio 1 or 6 Music". Expect hard hitting grooves & powerful, emotive vocals.
Waaju is:
Ben Brown - drums, percussion
Sam Rapley - tenor saxophone
Tal Janes - guitar
Joe Downard - bass
Ernesto Marichales - congas, percussion
"Sometimes the music on 'Grown' feels like a trick of the light; it grooves so hard but it still sounds delicate. Even in the heaviest moments, Waaju play with a wonderful lightness of touch" - Jazzwise Magazine
"('Grown' is) a majestic spiritual jazz masterpiece"
- Songlines Magazine
"There’s a subtleness to the approach that we really like - as if these guys have deeply digested global influences, to a point where they hardly need to be slavish or similar in their music at all" - Dusty Groove, Chicago
"('Waaju' is) one of my favourite current tunes"
- Patrick Forge
"Never were we to be bored. If anything, it was to get even more captivating and with each member coming across in a way that was relaxed, yet self-assured, it was an early sign of them achieving the perfect balance in all areas"
- Listen To Discover
Gigs //
08/07/25 - Waaju x Majid Bekkas at Jazzablanca Festival, Casablanca
19/11/25 - Waaju x Majid Bekkas at London Jazz Cafe
and more coming soon...
Time's Got a Hold (ft. Jordan Rakei)
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