Sambambo

Sambambo is a sax player and singer-songwriter who’s been coming to Greenbelt since she was an egg in the womb. Threading through all her performance is a deep love for jazz and Black American Music, and she talks openly about living with bipolar disorder, existing alongside grief and loving queerly.

Last October, she quietly released a collection of songs on the theme of grief, on the 20th anniversary of her dad’s death, who died when she was a child. This year, she spent two months practising, performing and recording in New Orleans and Jamaica with her trio, and has spent the summer playing her saxophone all over England and Wales at different festivals and events.

Sambambo has played at festivals including Green Man, Gottwood and Great Exhibition Road, and venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Royal Festival Hall, and St James’ Piccadilly. Her songs have been played on BBC Radio Three, JazzFM and One Jazz, and appeared in some indie shorts and features. She’s played at Greenbelt for the last few years, including on mainstage with her band last August.

This year, she’s taking a bit of a rest to enjoy the festival, but you can still hear her playing sax with Flamy Grant and Nu Earth Groove on Friday, and at the Caravan of Love on Sunday.