Results for "South Africa"

McCoy Mrubata: The Doyen of South African Jazz

by Harry S. Pariser
May 26, 2024

At 64, McCoy Mrubata is a commanding presence on the South African jazz scene. A Cape Town native who now resides in Johannesburg along with his wife and four children, Mrubata has won many awards and accolades in his native country, including a lifetime achievement award. Yet, Mrubata remains a lesser known figure in the US. ...

Thandi Ntuli: Reclaiming The Rainbow

by Gareth Thompson
November 1, 2023

Thandi Ntuli is in her music room at home in Johannesburg. It is late afternoon and sunlight bursts through narrow windows onto some boho chic furniture. Ntuli brushes a cloth over her laptop screen and comes into focus, beaming a smile of welcome, wearing a long orange dress. “I'm right in the city," she says. “There's ...

Jabu Nkosi

Born: October 7, 1954

Jabulani Patrick Nkosi was born in Alexandra, a township in the Gauteng province of South Africa which forms part of the City of Johannesburg, to legendary saxophonist and pioneer of South African Jazz Isaac 'Zacks' Nkosi and EMI session vocalist for the Dark City Sisters Kate Nkosi (née Olene) in 1954, he was the eldest son of four other siblings.

Guy Buttery: A Trio Of Heart

by Mick Raubenheimer
July 1, 2022

Renowned for his--by all accounts--wondrous musicianship, expressed predominantly on guitar, Buttery is admired not only for virtuosic technique, but a subtle and highly emotive melodic sensibility, which often evokes an air of spirituality. Following his multi-award winning seventh album, aptly entitled Guy Buttery--as, at the time, it felt like his most personal to date (see the ...

Ike Moriz

Born: May 14, 1972

Since 2002, internationally acclaimed South African pop artist, singer, producer, author and actor Ike Moriz has released 20 albums, spanning original melodic indie rock and pop through Latin, easy listening, lounge, blues and jazzy swing — all available on major digital platforms. His music has enjoyed extensive global airplay, reaching No. 1 chart positions in the UK, Holland, South Africa and Germany.

Alongside his music career, Ike has appeared in major international feature films including Alfie, Shanghai Knights and Love Actually, as well as South African television programs such as Showbiz Report, Top Billing and Backstage. His UK television credits include EastEnders, Family Affairs, The Bill and Strike Back – Project Dawn. Rock legend David Bowie repeatedly selected Ike’s early work as “Top Song of the Month” on his official website.

Sisonke Xonti: A Leap of Faith

by Seton Hawkins
January 4, 2020

Known for years as an outstanding saxophonist and first-call collaborator in a variety of top South African Jazz ensembles, in recent years Sisonke Xonti has rightly earned acclaimed for his own talents as a bandleader and a composer. Notably, Xonti's 2017 debut release Iyonde not only provided a stellar showcase for his superlative horn ...

Muhammad Dawjee

Born: June 20, 1990

Muhammad was born and raised Pretoria, South Africa. He was never formally educated in music, but grew up surrounded by it - in the Malay choral Gadaat recitals his grandfather used to host on Sundays and tinkering at the piano his grandmother bought for his elder sisters (who were already taking lessons when he was born). Muhammad was selected as a member of the Standard Bank National Schools’ Big Band for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 at the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival, Grahamstown. The 2008 band, conducted by Shannon Mowday also performed at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz in Johannesburg. In 2009 he was selected alongside tertiary music students (Sisonke Xonti and others) and local and international professional muscians such as Shannon Mowday, Mike Rossi, Frank Brodahl (Norway) & Arne Hiorth (Norway) to perform as a part of the North Sea Big Band, curated and conducted by Arne Hiorth. In 2010 he was selected as a member of the New South African Orchestra in 2010 alongside emerging young talents Nhlanhla Daniel Mahlangu, Oscar Rachabane and Billy Monama to perform with a collective of South African Legends such as Barney Rachabane, Khaya Mahlangu, Feya Faku directed and conducted by Dr

Claude Cozens: Reimagining Rhythm

by Seton Hawkins
November 1, 2019

The Cape Jazz sound of South Africa is known to international audiences primarily thanks to the music of pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. However, the music and traditions of Cape Town and the Western Cape run much deeper, reflecting an extraordinary, sometimes contradictory, and exceedingly complex set of cultures and traditions reflected in the area. Within this environment ...

Sam Tshabalala: Returning Home

by Seton Hawkins
May 27, 2019

The late 1970s saw a surge of extraordinary musical creativity in South Africa. Driven in part by a changing political climate reflecting the youth-led Soweto uprising of 1976, a younger generation of South African artists harnessed the arts to give voice to a new chapter in the anti-apartheid struggle. Indeed, rising ensembles like Movement ...

Carlo Mombelli: Angels and Demons

by Seton Hawkins
April 22, 2019

One of music's criminally underrated geniuses, South African electric bassist and composer Carlo Mombelli has carved out a most extraordinary performing and writing career in music. Throughout his four decades as a performer, Mombelli has forged one of the most distinctive electric bass approaches in Jazz, established himself as South Africa's most exceptional composer, and has ...