Camilla George Quartet - Isang album review: Lighting a fire under the melting pot

London jazz spills out of its own particular melting pot, flavoured by the emigre influences that make up the city’s rich musical culture. Twenty-something Nigerian-born alto saxophonist Camilla George came up through groups such as Gary Crosby’s Jazz Jamaica and Courtney Pine’s Venus Warriors.

While the dominant influence on her debut may be classic American jazz, there are other intriguing flavours, ranging from calypso to Fela Kuti, that suggest a strong and imaginative improviser still finding her own voice.

Alongside some fine original compositions, the record's two covers, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (popularised by Coltrane) and altoist Kenny Garett's Ms Baja make explicit George's debt to classic post-bop. But the other flavours show the most promise of originality.

[ camillageorge.com ]