ESE AND THE VOODUU PEOPLE

Championed by Iggy Pop, Lena Dunham, Cerys Matthews, Jools Holland, Robbie Vincent, Alabama 3 and many more, ESE & THE VOODUU PEOPLE play an electric and eclectic blend of funk, soul, Afrobeat, jazz and rock’n’roll, and tap into deep wells of spiritual energy.

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Ese was born to make music. “I heard Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix and never looked back,” she says, and though raised as a London child on grunge, hip-hop and r'n'b, her Nigerian heritage’s traditional spirituality also shaped the artist she is today. “It was almost like music chose me, rather than I chose music,” Ese says.

Ese busked on the streets of London for a couple of years before finding a place for herself in the studio and on stages ranging from intimate pubs and clubs to heaving festivals. She has released two acclaimed studio albums, UP IN SMOKE and IS THIS JAZZ?, and the live album MERCURY IN RETROGRADE. She performed in 2025’s hit Netflix series TOO MUCH and her classic track DYNAMITE features on the album soundtrack alongside tracks by artists ranging from Nina Simone, John Cale and Richard and Linda Thompson to Sugababes and Cate Le Bon. Her new studio album, which was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World recording studios, is scheduled for release 2026.

Keyboardist Jackson Baird is an in-demand performer and session musician, blending jazz and blues traditions with funk, electronic and latin influences. He plays regularly at major clubs and festivals, and performs with Ese & The Vooduu People, Marcina Arnold, and Brazilian singer Thiago Genthil. Baird composes music for television and leads his own improvisation based ensembles.

Jazz Dinner Offer

Enjoy an unforgettable day of live jazz and great food. Book your table for lunch or dinner at Hertford House, and enjoy a 10% discount on showing your e-ticket.

Fore Restaurant at the Hertford House Hotel

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