Ivan Mazuze

Ivan Mazuze is a Norway-based composer, award-winning saxophonist and world jazz artist of Mozambique origin. Mazuze initiated his studies in music in 1987 at the National Music School in his home country Mozambique. Piano was his first instrument and after seven years of classical piano training, he joined the woodwind section with a jazz study approach and a focus on improvisation. Mazuze continued his studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa in the Department of Jazz and Musicology. He holds an honors degree in jazz and composition studies and is a master's graduate in ethnomusicology. He writes ethnomusicological articles about music and trance in ritual practices which have been released in the educational magazine The Talking Drum.

From the start, Mazuze had a clear vision of what he had to do to reveal himself as a solo artist in the music industry. In 2002 he won the Old Mutual Jazz Competition in the category of Composition in Cape Town, South Africa. He realized that educating himself and mastering his instruments were not enough, so while studying he set up his own production and publishing company Imazuze Music to handle the business side of his career. As with all aspiring musicians at a young age, Mazuze dreamt of the day when he would record his own music. For this disciplined musician, the dream became a goal, the goal became part of his ambition and the result was his debut album Maganda in 2009. Maganda is a reflection of Mazuze’s musical journey and experiences in jazz and African "worlds" of music. Maganda was nominated for the following categories and awards:

1. Best Afro World Group, Oslo World Music Festival 2009.
2. Best Contemporary Jazz Album, SAMA Awards 2010 (South African Music Awards).
3. Best Afro Jazz Album and Jazz/Instrumental Album, Mozambique Music Awards 2010.
4. Recommended Best Newcomer and Saxophonist of 2010, African Jazz Network.

In 2012 Mazuze released the album Ndzuti (2012) which means “shadow” in the ancient language of Xichangana of southern Mozambique. The music on Ndzuti has elements from both southern and West African traditions with jazz-based structures. Ndzuti was chosen as a recommended album at African Jazz Network 2012 and as one of the key albums of 2012 by Music Information Center Norway (MIC) in 2012. Ndzuti one of the 10 Best Albums of 2012 in Songlines Magazine.

Mazuze released his third album Ubuntu (2015), a highly acclaimed album among the Nordic media critics. The album features Norwegian and South African-based musicians. In 2016 Ubuntu was chosen to be part of the compilation album JAZZCD.no 7th Edition in Norway. This compilation gives a good picture of the Norwegian jazz scene today, ranging from mainstream to more modern forms, including what has come to be known as the Nordic sound. JAZZCD.no 7th Edition shows the variety, the versatility and the quality of jazz in Norway today.

In 2018 Mazuze released the album Moya . The word "MOYA" translates as ‘spirit/soul’ is an album rich with melodic and rhythmic delights that have been lovingly selected and sculpted from African and Indian traditional music, in an all-embracing way, soul music. Moya was partly funded by the Arts Council Norway. “This is truly captivating music. It is a blend of old and new, a merge of east and west, a mix of style and substance." --David Fischel.

Amongst other awards and recognitions, Mazuze received a specialisation scholarship from the Norwegian Jazz Forum for 2015 and 2020. This scholarship has been granted to various jazz bands and musicians in Norway based on their artistic merit. Its purpose is to contribute to professional jazz musicians the freedom to immerse themselves in their art form. Mazuze has received various work-related composition grants for his albums Ndzuti, Ubuntu and Moya. Grants include Oslo Municipality (2011) and Norwegian Composer’s Association (2011/2014). He is the recipient of scholarships within composition work related from NOPA (2017), Norwegian Composer’s Association (2017) and TONO (2016). He received composers grants from the Norwegian Composer's Association (2020), NOPA (2020) and TONO (2021).

As a Norway-based artist since 2009, Mazuze has been representing "world jazz" coming out of Norway at numerous music events and festivals in many parts of the world. This is in collaboration with Norwegian-based cultural institutions such as Arts Council Norway and Music Norway. He has performed at music venues and festivals such as the Oslo Jazz Festival, Seoul Music Week, Amersfoort Jazz Festival, Nasjonal Jazzscene, Cosmopolite Scene, Pisa Jazz Festival, Jazztage Gorlitz Festival, Jazz no Franco, Peperoncino Jazz Festival, International Academy of Music Festival, DiVino Jazz Festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Havana International Jazz Festival, Musica Sulle Bocche Jazz Festival, Grahamstown Jazz Festival, Joy of Jazz Festival, Locomotive Jazz Festival, Nick la Rocca Jazz Festival, Mela Festival, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, WOMEX in Copenhagen, by'Larm, Musicastrada Festival and many more.

As a Mozambique-born and educated saxophonist and composer, Ivan Mazuze emerges from a long tradition of jazz musicians in southern Africa and is continually an important representation of this genre. Since 2013 he has been a contributing artistic mentor for the International Jazz Day celebrations in Oslo and Drammen in Norway. Additionally, he is the initiator for the implementation of the International Jazz Day in his home country Mozambique. Its first edition was in 2015.

Since starting his artistic career, Ivan Mazuze has been active on a variety of artistic and cultural and advisory boards, committees and venues including the National and International folk music, joik and folk dance representation in Norway, Riksscenen, 2015-2021, the Norwegian Jazz Forum 2021-2023, Samspill International Music Network in Norway in 2021, Buskerud Theatre 2021-2023, musical leader together with Unni Løvlid for the Talent Program at the Førdefestivalen in Norway, 2016/2017, a member of the Jury for Talent program Jazzintro 2022, a launch program for young Norwegian jazz musicians that showcase at the country's largest jazz festivals. Since its inception in 1998, Jazzintro has been very important in highlighting and highlighting the talents of Norwegian jazz. Many of today's big jazz names have participated in Jazzintro early in their careers. He is currently a board member for Cosmopolite Scene in Oslo, part of the advisory committee for Arts Council Norway He is a cultural consultant for Interkultur at Drammen municipality in Norway where he is responsible for presenting international profiled cultural expressions to the Drammen region as well as developing exciting new concepts.

In 2023, Mazuze wrote Penuka (album), a commissioned work for Global Oslo Music and presented during winter of 2024. It is financed by the Arts Council Norway. This work has led up to the release of his latest album Penuka: A Contemporary Jazz Exploration of Arab and Indian Influences on African Traditions Blending Traditional Rhythms with Modern Jazz Improvisation. “Mazuze now expands the battle zone with an artistically ambitious record”--Audun Vinger, Jazznytt Norway. Penuka releases on 11th October 2024.

Awards

Among other awards and recognitions Mazuze has received a specialisation scholarship for the year 2015 from the Norwegian Jazz Forum. This scholarship has been granted to various jazz bands and musicians in Norway based on their artistic merit. Its purpose is to contribute to professional jazz musicians the freedom to immerse themselves in their art form. Mazuze has also received various work related composition grants for the albums Ndzuti and Ubuntu from Oslo Municipality and Composer’s association (2011/2014). Lately Mazuze is the recipient of the scholarships within Composition work related from NOPA (2017), Composer’s Association (2017) and TONO (2016).