Love Supreme 2026: Day one

Love Supreme 2026 used the Main Stage on Friday for the first time: with Ezra Collective curating the artists.

Femi (left) with his Ezra Collective team meeting their audience

The Ezra Collective influence meant the huge audience enjoying artists who have impressed the band across all the stages. For me, first up in the afternoon was Lulu. followed by the amazing Kokoroko, with their intricate horn parts and vocals - their first time appearing at Love Supreme.

Before Ezra Collective themselves headlined the night and wowed the main stage audience (which appeared to be most of the festival-goers), Durand Bernarr was glorious.

Also a joy to experience on this first day were performances by pianist Luke Bacchus, Kio, Annie and the Caldwells and drummer Moses Boyd, who performed all new music with his band. All very different styles of jazz, gospel and hiphop, there was something for everyone and I didn’t come close to seeing everyone I had hoped to see.

Sultan Stevenson with his trio prior to the The EZ Youth Club Jam

One person I did catch was amazing pianist Sultan Stevenson, who I featured on Harmonious World  back in April 2025. He was part of a youth jam session that saw several musicians stepping up to be part of a recreation of some classic creativity sessions.

Femi Koleoso from Ezra Collective talked movingly in their set about their gratitude to New Generation Jazz (who run a stage for showcasing new artists) and to Love Supreme for their support since they started more than a decade ago. The youth jam session was their initiative, as part of their commitment to giving young musicians a chance to play together in front of audiences.

Friday was a very special, strong start to Love Supreme and great to hear so many artists I’ve not heard before.

It’s not too late to come down for Saturday or Sunday at Love Supreme