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.
Waaju's acclaimed self-titled 2018 debut has been championed by the likes of Jordan Rakei, Patrick Forge and Gilles Peterson' Worldwide FM. The record was named an ‘Essential Jazz Album of 2018’ numerous times, with global sales and radio play as far as Australia, USA and throughout Europe including regular plays on UK’s own Worldwide FM, NTS, Jazz FM and BBC Radios 3 & 6.
Waaju is:
Ben Brown - drums, percussion
Sam Rapley - tenor saxophone
Tal Janes - guitar
Joe Downard - bass
Ernesto Marichales - congas, percussion
‘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, London
Gigs //
Following the Covid-19 outbreak, all gigs have been cancelled. News on future gigs will be updated as the situation becomes clearer
Time's Got a Hold (ft. Jordan Rakei)
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