Award-winning Saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator Camilla George makes a return as she joins forces with the mighty Blue Lab Beats, who have created an inspired deep Afro-house remix of Camilla’s track ‘Abasi Isang’, out now on Eternal Source Of Light/!K7 Music. Listen HERE.
Blue Lab Beats, aka NKOK and David Mrakpor, have served up some masterful production and additional keys on ‘Abasi Isang’ (Blue Lab Beats Remix) to create an infectious, joyous banger of jazz meets deep Afro-house. The remix also features a heady mix of super fresh instrumental parts, including a zinging virtuousic alto sax solo from Camilla George herself and an energised trumpet solo from Sheila Maurice-Gray.
At just over 6 minutes long, the track is going to be a deep cut for DJs and listeners alike. The original track was the first single taken from Camilla’s critically acclaimed third album ‘Ibio Ibio’, that was released last September.
Camilla George said “Abasi Isang is one of my favourite tunes on my latest album, Ibio-Ibio and it means ‘God of Earth’ in Ibibio culture. As a longtime fan of Blue Lab Beats, I was excited to see where they would take the track. I loved how they still retained the joyous nature of the music and the exaltation of being alive, whilst giving it their own unique chill out club mix vibes. I hope everyone loves it as much as we do!”
Blue Lab Beats added “This remix was heavily inspired from our time out in South Africa and listening to a lot of deep South African house in clubs. Generally one of the most relaxing yet uplifting genres.”
The ‘Ibio Ibio’ album is dedicated to Camilla’s Ibibio tribe of south eastern coastal Nigeria. It is an earthy feast of stunning jazz brass, horns, keys, bass and sax, flying effortlessly between lush afrobeat and jazz melodies across eight tracks co-produced by Camilla herself. Camilla’s alto saxophone performance comes together with a stellar line-up of some of the hottest players in London’s jazz scene including Daniel Casimir (bass),Shirley Tetteh (guitar), Winston Clifford (drums), Sheila Maurice-Grey (trumpet), Rosie Turton (trombone), Renato Paris (vocals), Sarah Tandy (keys), plus Senegalese kora player Kadialy Kouyate, acclaimed US drummer Daru Jones (Jack White, Pete Rock, Talib Kweli), and Birmingham’s finest MC SANITY.
‘Ibio Ibio’ was hugely well received by media, The Guardian said “Camilla George exemplifies the diverse musical identity of the London jazz scene… George’s star as a bandleader is beginning to ascend..” and MOJO said “George is the undoubted star”.
Camilla George has carved out her own unique identity in the vibrant London scene, with her strong cultural roots and love of fusing African and Western Music. She has studied with several jazz greats including sax giant Jean Toussaint. Following her critically acclaimed debut album ‘Isang’ (pronounced E-Sang which means ‘journey’ in Ibibio) in 2014 and much lauded follow up ‘The People Could Fly’ in 2018, Camilla has established a sound that is a hypnotising blend of Afrofuturism, hip hop and jazz, with a politically minded subtext that has a powerful connection to her Nigerian identity, lineage and heritage, reflecting African history, culture and slavery. Camilla and her band have supported Courtney Pine and Dee Dee Bridgewater and played several festivals, from Cheltenham Jazz, We Out Here to EFG London Jazz Festival. She has also been a member of celebrated group Jazz Jamaica since 2009. She won Best Jazz Act at the Urban Music Awards 2023.
