Phillip Mlynar

Over three days in August of last year, a cluster of young musicians holed themselves up in the Fish Factory recording studio in north-west London to capture the sound of the capital’s thriving jazz scene. The session was instigated by Gilles Peterson, the progressive DJ and tastemaker, who's set to release the nine tunes as the We Out Here compilation via his own Brownswood Recordings label on February 9. The saxophonist and clarinet player (and recent Impulse! Records–signee) Shabaka Hutchings was entrusted to act as the project's musical director. "There's such a strong scene at the moment and we felt it was a situation where if it's not documented properly it can be easily forgotten," Hutchings says from his base in London. RECOMMENDED: A full guide to Winter Jazzfest The We Out Here movement is an inclusive one. As Hutchings explains, "It's not a bunch of artists saying this is our vision and we're going to force it onto the public—it’s something that's developed alongside groups of young people who want to hear the music.” Gigging and recording in a London where half of the city's live music venues have shuttered since 2007 prompted the We Out Here players to etch out their own community and in turn reach a new audience. Experiencing the scene doesn’t demand paying high ticket prices to enter fusty spots with two drink minimums—it’s about getting hip to the DIY venues, warehouse spaces and dance parties that have popped up around the city. At one point, workshop and gi