Camilla George

Camilla George is a visionary saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator. Her strong cultural roots and love for fusing African and Western music have shaped her own unique style, a key reason why she is a fixture on the new London jazz scene, alongside peers such as Nubya Garcia and Shabaka Hutchings.

She grew up listening to Fela Kuti, Jackie McLean and Charlie Parker. As a result, her music is a mesmerizing mix of Afrofuturism, hip-hop and jazz, with a politically charged subtext that connects powerfully to her Nigerian identity, heritage and ancestry, which reflects African history, culture and slavery.

In 2014 Camilla formed her own critically acclaimed project showcasing the stars of the new UK Jazz Scene. Camilla’s debut album, ‘Isang’ (pronounced E-SANG, meaning ‘journey’ in Ibibio, her native tongue), was described by The Evening Standard as “The Golden Girl of Jazz” and received much critical acclaim.

Her latest album, 'Ibio Ibio', is a tribute to her tribe, the Ibibio people of southeastern Nigeria. The album features an incredible line-up including Daniel Casimir, Sarah Tandy, Winton Clifford, Renato Paris, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Rosie Turton, Shirley Tetteh, hip-hop drummer Daru Jones, Birmingham rapper Lady Sanity and Sam Jones.

Ibio-Ibio was well received by the press, with a 4 star review from Mojo Magazine stating: “George is the undisputed star, delivering crisscrossing solos with a '50s hard-bop slant”. Other media attention included an article in Jazzwise Magazine.

Recent notable performances include North Sea Jazz Festival, where Camilla performed both with her own group and as a featured artist in the 'Diaspora Suite' performance; Jazz a Vienne, where Camilla also made a guest appearance with Marcus Miller; EFG London Jazz Festival, Jazz In The Park Romania, Brosella and Jazz Onze Lausanne.