Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bokani Dyer Trio: Neo Native

7

Bokani Dyer Trio: Neo Native

By

View read count
Bokani Dyer Trio: Neo Native
In pianist Bokani Dyer's Neo Native we find a pact between the ideals of advancement and atavism. This rising star on the South African scene and international stage merges modernistic language with traditional streams with this malleable trio, creating a unique signature that's both indebted to his homeland's history and free of clichés.

That conjoined sensibility manifests immediately, as the title track opens the album and shifts from mournful streams with a traditionalist bent to dicier developments. The follow-up —"Dollar Adagio," paying tribute to Abdullah Ibrahim—is moored by Romy Brauteseth's bass riff, but that doesn't stop Dyer from cutting loose and soloing with positively pliant phrasing. It's a model for how solid grounding can support substantial growth. Then drummer Sphelelo Mazibuko launches and lights up "Fezile" with Afro-Latin flair, setting a foundation for a dynamic Dyer excursion; a joyous vocal introduction gives way to some neo-soul suggestions and ruminating Rhodes work on "Kgalagadi"; and patience wins out as "Waiting" plays its titular game, revealing gifts over time and offering space to Brauteseth's bass.

The album's centerpiece—the four-movement "African Piano Suite"—follows those intriguing offerings and favors brevity. In less than eleven minutes, Dyer and company take us from a state of revelry on "Nguni" to trance-meets-dance vibes on "Xikwembu," and from the slinky ostinato of "Chikapa" to the reserved yet joyful environs of "Mutapa." Rather than dissect such a massive topic as African piano with lengthy discourse, Dyer's miniatures delve into the idea through direct engagement.

The final stretch sets off with some Tony Allen-worthy grooves on "Gono Afrobeat," shifts toward a reflective mood with "Light" and "Fola," and comes to a conclusion with "Oumou," a bonus track featuring guest Asmaa Hamzaoui's passionate vocals. Taken in total, all of this music makes the case that Bokani Dyer is well-versed in the piano traditions that surround him. But more importantly, Neo Native makes clear that he's not fenced in by any of them.

Track Listing

Neo Native; Dollar Adagio; Fezile; Kgalagadi Intro; Kgalagadi; Waiting; Nguni; Xikwembu; Chikapa; Mutapa; Gono Afrobeat; Light; Fola; Oumou.

Personnel

Bokani Dyer: piano, Rhodes piano, vocals; Romy Brauteseth: double bass, vocals; Sphelelo Mazibuko: drums, vocals; Asmaa Hamzaoui: vocals (14).

Album information

Title: Neo Native | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Self Produced

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Eternal Moments
Yoko Yates
From "The Hellhole"
Marshall Crenshaw
Tramonto
John Taylor

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.