Yakul (2)

James Berkeley formed the Brighton-based four-piece, Yakul, in 2016, playing a heady mix of neo-soul and jazz. Consisting of James (vocals, keys), Tom Caldwell-Nichols (bass), Sam Hughes (drums) and Leo Utton (guitar), the band has gained a considerable following worldwide and apart from regular slots at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and the Jazz Cafe in Camden, Yakul have played numerous festivals, south-east venues and two UK tours as well as a gig in Madrid. Following several digital-only releases, their EP “Getting Late” and LP “Rise Indigo” were both released independently. Yakul have picked up a growing reputation on the live circuit, further cementing their status at the forefront of the international R&B, jazz and soul movement. Their debut album “Rise Indigo” racked up over 500 plays on UK radio, the band going on to tour the UK and sell out their headline debut at the esteemed Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, followed by yet more headline slots at the Brick Lane Jazz Festival and The Great Escape. “Getting Late”, the band’s debut EP, was released in 2019 and lead track “Blossoming” was voted #6 Track of the Year on Gilles Peterson’s prestigious Worldwide Awards 2020, while the band was nominated for Best Jazz Act of the Year at the Urban Music Awards that same year. In 2021 Yakul released a re-working of their hugely popular single “Company” with a feature from American singer and rapper, Mereba.