The synergy you didn’t know you needed.
A moment from last weeks @steamdown Community Listening Session: Freedom.
I decided to play a one of my unreleased pieces of music that I felt represented freedom and @ahnanse did what he does and took it up another notch. Synchronicity.
Thanks to @saltsalonlondon & @uzi__aziz every-time for hosting us and their incredible space. Big love to @thisisnandi who was with us curating the vibe with her beautiful vocals.
Salute my brother @r_kbeats for his work on the strings alongside cellist @thibaultblancharddubois 🎻. I will release this at some point
#intalekt #improv #communitylistening #ahnanse #steamdown
@steamdown convirtiendo la Plaza Mayor en una catarsis colectiva 🫂🫂🫂
Mientras, la lluvia intentando convertirlos en Stream Down, pero no ha podido ni con ellos ni con nosotros.
📷 @rbleda
#womadcaceres2026
NEW UK JAZZ ALBUM DIRECT FROM SOUTH EAST LONDON COURTESY OF THE STEAM DOWN FAMILY
Steam Down is a British Afro-Punk band, weekly event and music community based in London, England.
In a finely tuned alchemy of sound, space and energy, Steam Down have mastered the art of enriching human emotional, social and collective state of being through music.
Founded by multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Ahnansé in 2017, the initial event was created to connect London based musicians and producers. Since then it has evolved into a weekly event where Steam Down artists and its extended musical family generate spontaneous sonic soundscapes reflecting their lives in the city.
Steam Down has quickly become a household name in London’s music scene, receiving two Jazz FM awards including the innovation award sponsored by Mishcon De Reya and live experience of the year award sponsored by Yamaha UK featuring Kamasi Washington.
This is their debut album and definitely not one to be missed!
All we can say is THANK YOU ‼️ The SD community were in full flow on Saturday night and we are so grateful to each and every one of you who turned up! The queues were wrapping around the building and a time was had both on and off stage. Thank you to the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (@nyjouk ) for considering our debut album for this collaboration - it was beautiful to hear it played by the big band in such an incredible room. Thank you to @_juliet_kennedy_ for trusting us with this vision for @bricklanejazzfestival ! And thank you to the incredible musicians who made this possible:
Drums: @naterickettsdrums
Bass: @enzmadethis
Keys: @lorenzthemusic
Conductor/Sax: @ahnanse
Vocals: @afronautzu
Vocals: @allysnm
Samples/DJ: @intalektmusic
Flute: Benjy Sandler
Clarinet: John Kelly
Alto: Maisie Riley
Alto: Isabella Zufolo
Tenor: Lydia Cochrane
Tenor: Oskar Jones
Baritone: Oliver Tesic
Trumpet: Eliza Dunhill
Trumpet: Fee Buckton
Trombone: Sheen Bendon
Bass Trombone: Lexi Turvey
FOH: @kieron.strings.sound
TM & Manager: @kaiyamilan
📸: @miksfiles
👞🪡: @referenc.official
We’re back at VILLAGE UNDERGROUND exactly 7 years since we last performed here! But this time with an 18 piece orchestra courtesy of The National Youth Jazz Orchestra!
Think BIG BAND!
Think BIG ENERGY!
See you at 5:15pm @bricklanejazzfestival 🚀
Ahead of @steamdown ’s performance at @bricklanejazzfestival tomorrow I sat down with founder @ahnanse to chat about the journey so far - from their legendary @sdweekly ’s to performing at @bluenotenyc & beyond.
Watch the full interview on YouTube (link in bio) or catch the conversation on my @voices_radio Breakfast Show this morning.
Recorded at @voices_studio_ 📍
Back in 2017, we started #SDWEEKLY at Buster Mantis in Deptford. A few people. A feeling. No big plan - just a need to create an important space, to connect, to build something honest and true. Week after week, we showed up and so did you. Sometimes not knowing who would be there, or what it would become. But we kept going.
When we were younger, we used to dream about moments like this - playing in spaces we’d heard about, places that hold so much musical history. Those dreams felt distant then.
Now somehow, through time, community, and consistency… we’re here SELLING OUT @bluenotenyc 🤯
And the truth is, this moment isn’t ours alone.
It belongs to every person who’s come to #SDWEEKLY, every musician who’s held space with us, every conversation, every late night, every risk, every bit of belief along the way.
This is what happens when you build something together.
ONE BODY 🌀
Line Up:
🇺🇸
Vocals: @misskayakulu
Bass: @papabearjohnson
Keys: @roellaoloromusic
🇬🇧
Vocals/Percussion: @afronautzu
Drums: @naterickettsdrums
Sax/MD: @ahnanse
Thank you! 🙏🏾
Against all odds - no label, no funding, no machine behind us - we carried this thing from the ground up, built on trust, community, and the belief that the music could speak for itself. From South-East London to SELLING OUT the Blue Note NYC.
We didn’t follow a blueprint that was laid out - we made one, together.
Independence isn’t a limitation, it’s a foundation.
Everything we’ve done, every room we’ve played, has been powered by people, not systems - and that’s exactly why it’s reached as far as it has.
Thank you to @misskayakulu , @papabearjohnson & @roellaoloromusic 🙏🏾✨
Thank you to @bluenotenyc 💙
Thank you to each and every one of you who came out - people flew in from Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Colorado 🤯 we are so so grateful to you all. 🫂
See you soon NYC - There’s something in the air 👀✨
First single on our first EP. We originally released this track 5 years ago, right out of the pandemic and at a moment when the world was in chaos and everyone was looking for answers… 5 years on and the chaos continues and we have way more questions and fewer answers, so these lyrics are as important today as they were then.
‼️ REMINDER:
We must empower ourselves with the TRUTH.
We are not powerless.
We are powerful.
Shout out to the one and only @intalektmusic on the @ruff_sqwad flip - what a madness 🤯🤯🤯
OG ‘Five Fruit’ Family 🌳🙏🏾✨
LONDON - This April we return back to Village Underground for a very special moment.
Steam Down ft. @nyjouk big band LIVE at Brick Lane Jazz Festival.
If you are a longstanding member of the SD community and have been with us on this journey, then you’ll remember when we SOLD OUT Village Underground in 2019!
There’s something deeply nostalgic about this one - in April 2019 we stood on this same stage presenting The Steam Down Orchestra, and exactly seven years later we’re returning to bring you a very special big band performance with NYJO (the National Youth Jazz Orchestra), bringing the story forward while honouring where it all began.
This one is about lineage, collaboration and series of important messages.
NYJO have been shaping and nurturing musicians for decades, and to bring our worlds together on this stage feels powerful and full-circle.
Come and experience it with us.
Pure BIG BAND sound, energy and community connection!
April · Brick Lane Jazz Festival
Tickets on sale now 🎟️
NEW YORK 🗽🖤🇺🇸
We’re bringing an extra special exclusive SD experience to Blue Note, New York - performing our debut album ‘I Realised It Was Me’ live and direct!
This is more than just a show, this is a portal for connection through the power of music and we request your presence.
From South London to one of the most historic rooms in music.
Music for Movement. For Release. For Reflection.
📍 Blue Note, NY
📅 Thursday 26th March 2026
⏰ 8pm & 10:30pm
Come as you are. Tickets via link in bio ✨
#SteamDown #IRealisedItWasMe #BlueNoteNYC
