Isang, meaning “Voyage” in the Nigerian Efik language, the debut of saxophonist Camilla George, best known for her work with Jazz Jamaica, is coming out on the Ubuntu label in early-January accompanied by a London jazz club gig in Soho and then national dates the following month.

The album includes the ballad ‘Song For Reds’ written by the saxist for her father, George’s Jackie McLean-like alto sax sound confidently draped over coruscating rhythm, and ‘Ms Baja,’ a version of a Kenny Garrett composition (which appeared on the 1990s Songbook album by the former Milesian) and featuring singer Zara McFarlane.

George, who studied at the Trinity Laban conservatoire in London, leads her own quartet in which she is joined by Sarah Tandy, the Servant’s Jazz resident pianist, Jean Toussaint double bassist Daniel Casimir and drummer Femi Koleoso (the quartet pictured, above, Camilla George is second from right).

George comments: “Isang is an album about a journey of self discovery from my African and Caribbean roots through to jazz in its modern day forms. I was keen to explore different stylistic elements such as highlife, afrobeat, calypso and hip-hop.”

Hear Camilla George at the Vortex on the closing night of the London Jazz Festival