Camilla George, Nigeria/UK

Camilla George is a visionary saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator. Her strong cultural roots and love of blending African and Western music have shaped her own unique style, a key reason why she has firmly taken her place on the new London jazz scene. Her album The People Could Fly, featuring Omar and the highly respected guitarist Shirley Tetteh, was released in September 2018 and received critical acclaim from the Financial Times and Jazzwise. Her band has toured around the world and opened for Courtney Pine, during the tour promoting his album featuring Omar, at the Barbican Center in London. Camila George performed at the Love Supreme Festival and participated in a panel discussion with saxophonist Kamasi Washington. Her band supported Dee Dee Bridgewater’s concert at The Cadogan Hall at the 2017 London Jazz Festival. The vocalist is so impressed that she exclaims, “The world is safe because we have Camilla!” Camila George’s music is a mesmerizing blend of Afrofuturism, hip-hop and jazz, with political undertones that have a strong connection to her Nigerian identity. Her third studio album Ibio Ibio is a tribute to the Ibibio people of Nigeria’s southeast coast.