Nubiyan Twist

Biography

Nubiyan Twist is a Leeds-born, London-based musical collective founded around 2011 at Leeds College of Music by guitarist, producer, and bandleader Tom Excell. Emerging from the college's jazz courses and production studios, the group began as a collaborative project blending Afrobeat influences with contemporary jazz, hip-hop, electronic music, reggae, dub, and UK sound-system culture, inspired by Excell's childhood exposure to his father's jazz collection, classical guitar studies, and local Caribbean community vibes. The ensemble, often described as a nonet or larger group with a rotating cast, features virtuosic players including a powerful horn section, soulful vocals by Nubiya Brandon, live dubs/electronics, turntablism, and an explosive rhythm section drawing from Brazil to the UK.[1][2][3][8]

The band developed organically through frequent jams among friends at Leeds College, woodshedding their process before self-producing early tracks co-written by Excell and keyboardist Joe Henwood, later recruiting drummer Finn Booth and percussionist Pilo Adami. Their debut album garnered strong support from jazz, world, and hip-hop press including Huey Morgan, David Rodigan, and Craig Charles, followed by releases like Siren Song (2016), Freedom Fables (2021) on Strut Records—a vocal-oriented exploration of narratives and personal stories—and later albums such as Find Your Flame (featuring vocalist Aziza Jaye) and Jungle Run (with guests like Tony Allen and Mulatu Astatke). Known for their eclectic, groove-driven sound that's cinematic and multi-genre, they've performed globally, selling out London's Jazz Cafe, appearing at Glastonbury, Boomtown, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, and David Byrne's Meltdown at Queen Elizabeth Hall.[1][2][4][5][6]

Over nearly 15 years, Nubiyan Twist has evolved into a powerhouse emphasizing collective identity amid industry pressures for solo branding, balancing individual solos with group dynamics rooted in jazz improvisation. Their music reflects personal catharsis—navigating COVID, parenthood, health challenges like a leg amputation, and loss—while fostering unity through diverse global influences from highlife and Ethiojazz to soul and electronica, solidifying their legacy as genre-defying innovators in the UK jazz scene.[2][3][4][7]

Fun Facts

• The band's name 'Nubiyan Twist' refers to an African hairstyle, fitting their music's wide array of African-inflected genres like highlife and afrobeat.[7]
• They were handpicked by David Byrne to perform at the Southbank Centre's Meltdown festival at Queen Elizabeth Hall.[1][5]
• Their fourth album Find Your Flame was shaped by personal events including COVID, new parenthood, a band member's leg amputation, car accidents, and loss, serving as a 'catharsis for struggles' and 'vessel for joy'.[4]
• Despite forming in 2011, their 2020s album Jungle Run gives the impression of a decade-long polished unit, featuring guests like Tony Allen and Mulatu Astatke.[6]

Members

• Pilo Adami
• Finn Booth
• Nubiya Brandon
• Oliver Cadman
• Jonny Enser
• Tom Excell
• Joe Henwood
• Nick Richards
• Luke Wynter

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Fela Kuti - Major stylistic inspiration for Afrobeat influences (General influence on band's formation and sound) [2011-present]

Key Collaborators

• Joe Henwood - Keyboardist and co-writer (Early self-produced tracks) [2011-present]
• Finn Booth - Drummer and childhood friend (Core band member) [Early 2010s-present]
• Pilo Adami - Percussionist and roommate, shared Brazilian ensemble (Core band member) [Early 2010s-present]
• Nubiya Brandon - Singer and MC providing soulful vocals (Debut album, Siren Song) [2010s]
• Aziza Jaye - Sheffield-based vocalist adding Patois and RnB (Find Your Flame, joined 2023) [2023-present]
• Tony Allen - Guest artist, Afrobeat pioneer (Jungle Run) [2020s]
• Mulatu Astatke - Guest artist, Ethiojazz pioneer (Jungle Run) [2020s]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #afro-beat, #afrobeat, #hip-hop