Polar Bear are a British jazz band led by drummer Seb Rochford. After singing to the Babel Label in 2004, the band released their debut album 'Dim Lit' to moderate success, though it was their second album 'Held On The Tips Of Fingers' which really brought them to wider attention. Merging elements of funk, dance, free jazz, electronica and drum n bass, it earned the band a nomination for the Mercury Prize in 2005 and a BBC Jazz Award in 2006. Polar Bear released their eponymous third album in 2008 through Tin Angel, and are now set to release their latest long player 'Peepers', on 10 Mar via The Leaf Label.

Seb told us about the inspiration for the new album: "People I know, all the amazing music in London (too many artists to mention) like grime, dubstep, funky house, jazz, plus rock and soul music from the sixties and seventies like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye. London is musically a very inspiring place to be at the moment".

You can read the full SSQ interview here