Camilla George: Live at Cheltenham

British modern jazz at its finest was in evidence when Camilla George performed at the Parabola Arts Centre as part of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

George’s original writing takes its influence from strong cultural roots, combining Western and African music - she grew up listening to Fela Kuti, Jackie McLean and Charlie Parker and studied with Jean Toussaint, Julian Siegel and Martin Speake. Now she’s developed her own style and brought to Cheltenham a fine band to express it.

This really is one of most inventive ensembles and their interaction across the stage was exemplary. From Renato Paris (keys) across to Daniel Casimir (bass) and then Rod Youngs (drums), it’s almost impossible to imagine a better band to sit behind George. When not playing, she mostly crouched down to allow them to shine in a very self-deprecating manner.

In 2018, George released The People Could Fly, a brilliant second album that first awoke me to her huge talent as a sax player and composer. Several of the numbers played at Cheltenham came from that collection, including the title track and Tappin the Land Turtle.

The 2022 album Ibio-Ibio is to be followed by a new release in the coming months, so watch this space. There was new music in this show, as well as Abasi Isang, Ekpe and The Long Juju Slave Route of Arochokwu from Ibio-Ibio.

Jazz sometimes has the power to take you out of your current existence and I got lost in the fine, controlled rhythmic and melodic expression from George and this extraordinary band.

Check out Camilla George’s music on Bandcamp