Parliamentary Jazz Award 2025 nomination
We are thrilled to announce that The Banger Factory has been nominated for Best Jazz Ensemble of the Year at the prestigious 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The winners will be revealed at a ceremony on Tuesday, 14th October, at World Heart Beat in London.
About the Parliamentary Jazz Awards
The Parliamentary Jazz Awards have been running since 2005 and are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group. These awards celebrate and recognise the vibrancy, diversity, breadth and talent of the jazz scene throughout the United Kingdom, honouring excellence across every aspect of the UK jazz community, from instrumentalists and vocalists to venues, educators and broadcasters.
The Banger Factory: A Collective Built on Community and Creativity
Founded in 2015 in the vibrant heart of Brixton by trumpeter, composer and bandleader Mark Kavuma, The Banger Factory has evolved from a quintet into a thriving collective featuring more than twenty of the most gifted young musicians on the UK jazz scene. As Mark says, “Everyone has a part to play” in this ensemble, which has become a cradle for emerging talent and a showcase for innovative contemporary jazz.
The band is built on the simple yet powerful principle of bringing people a good time, combining infectious energy with sophisticated musicianship. With hints of gospel, soul and afro-Caribbean influences woven throughout their compositions, The Banger Factory creates music that is both deeply rooted in jazz tradition and boldly forward-thinking.
The ensemble has released several critically acclaimed albums that showcase the collective’s evolving sound and ambition:
The Banger Factory (2019, Ubuntu Music) established the group as a force to be reckoned with in the UK jazz scene, garnering widespread critical acclaim.
Arashi No Ato marked the debut release on Banger Factory Records, the label Mark founded in 2021 as a natural evolution of the ensemble’s ethos.
Magnum Opus (2024, Banger Factory Records) is the collective’s latest offering, recorded over two sessions in London. This ambitious double album features stunning horn arrangements and showcases the full breadth of the 20-plus member ensemble, with each musician contributing their unique voice to the collective sound.
The Banger Factory stands alongside fellow nominees Ezra Collective and Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band in the Best Jazz Ensemble category. The awards feature an impressive array of talent across all categories, with nominees including vocalists Zara McFarlane, Brigitte Beraha and Alice Zawadzki; instrumentalists Janette Mason, Jasper Hoiby and Rob Luft; and outstanding album nominations for Ezra Collective’s ‘Dance, No One’s Watching’, John Surman’s ‘Words Unspoken’, Daniel Casimir’s ‘Balance’ and Billy Marrows’ ‘Penelope’.
The ceremony on 14th October promises to be a celebration of the extraordinary talent and innovation within the UK jazz community, and we are honoured to be recognised amongst such remarkable artists.
Watch this space for updates from the awards ceremony!