Camilla’s Jazz Café show was a real success, as reviewed by Marlbank’s Stephen Graham.
Winston Clifford was on stage the most senior player of all and gave a certain gravitas to the groove. Clifford you'll know from his work with Orphy Robinson on the vibes great's Blue Note 1990s album The Vibes Described for instance and on the Birmingham jazz icon saxist Andy Hamilton's Jamaica By Night to name but a few.
Ibio-Ibio is about Camilla's tribe from south-eastern coastal Nigeria, a certain walking with the spirits, with one piece themed around a shrine and musically steering a path that cut interestingly across bebop, sheer groove and Afrobeat stylings. On bass guitar Daniel Casimir was one of the stand-out players, even Bernard Edwards-like in one passage (no mean feat). George's band featured a guest kora player Kadialy Kouyate who came on with the horn players trombonist Nathaniel Cross and Sheila Maurice-Grey on trumpet from Kokoroko who was superb breaking free. Bookended with 'Intro' and 'Outro' the band sound was flavoured by the Grant Green-influenced nattily behatted Artie Zaitz known for his work with Moses Boyd's band Exodus. As usual he was a sizzling presence in the rhythm section.
Camilla mentioned in a brief chat to marlbank before the gig that Jazz Jamaica will be back on the road in July with dates doing Trojan material including at the Royal Festival Hall. So put 18 July in your diary for now. Watch out too for the build-up when it begins in due course to Ibio Ibio because the scintillating sounds heard here (especially the 'God of Heaven' and 'God of Earth' pieces) augur well. SG
Winston Clifford was on stage the most senior player of all and gave a certain gravitas to the groove. Clifford you'll know from his work with Orphy Robinson on the vibes great's Blue Note 1990s album The Vibes Described for instance and on the Birmingham jazz icon saxist Andy Hamilton's Jamaica By Night to name but a few.
Ibio-Ibio is about Camilla's tribe from south-eastern coastal Nigeria, a certain walking with the spirits, with one piece themed around a shrine and musically steering a path that cut interestingly across bebop, sheer groove and Afrobeat stylings. On bass guitar Daniel Casimir was one of the stand-out players, even Bernard Edwards-like in one passage (no mean feat). George's band featured a guest kora player Kadialy Kouyate who came on with the horn players trombonist Nathaniel Cross and Sheila Maurice-Grey on trumpet from Kokoroko who was superb breaking free. Bookended with 'Intro' and 'Outro' the band sound was flavoured by the Grant Green-influenced nattily behatted Artie Zaitz known for his work with Moses Boyd's band Exodus. As usual he was a sizzling presence in the rhythm section.
Camilla mentioned in a brief chat to marlbank before the gig that Jazz Jamaica will be back on the road in July with dates doing Trojan material including at the Royal Festival Hall. So put 18 July in your diary for now. Watch out too for the build-up when it begins in due course to Ibio Ibio because the scintillating sounds heard here (especially the 'God of Heaven' and 'God of Earth' pieces) augur well. SG