Make no mistake, British nu-jazz is here, in the rushes of Ezra Collective, Yussef Dayes, Moses Boyd, pushing together DJs, orchestras as well as electronic music producers. The genre manages to hold that swinging feeling, and push it out to encompass the groove algorithms of an Akai MPC or the off-kilter rhythms of an 808 bass.

 Enter Olvine, whose debut live album, All Yours Mate, calls back to that raw energy inherent to jazz fusion, heard in acts such as Jaco Pastorius or Herbie Hancock, who made their bed in their enigmatic live shows. With All Yours Mate, Olvine embrace spontaneity and make it their own.

We went down to a recent Olvine gig at Liverpool’s The Quarry.

The set opened with Olvine accompanying singer-songwriter, Amelia Wallace, for a series of slow and passionate tracks. As the performance progressed, Olvine shifted the sound into a captivating fusion of jazz and contemporary influences. Introducing a bass reminiscent of the harsh and heavy subs of artists like Zomby, while guitarist Harry Jones and keyboardist Harry Simmonds weaved in subtle nods to math rock through their intricate riffs and playstyles.

Olvine infuse a fresh excitement and enthusiasm into the jazz tradition. From their impassioned performance at The Quarry as well as their new aforementioned album, All Yours Mate, it's evident that Olvine are emerging as a formidable force in the UK’s thriving contemporary jazz scene.

Listen to All Yours Mate here 

Words by Charlie James-Turner