Blog

Kgethi Nkotsi. Picture by Chloe Clark At the tender age of 21, Kgethi Nkotsi has not only met most of his favourite musicians, he also got to perform with some.  “If I introduce myself to another musician as Kgethi, they are likely to forget my name.  But if I play my...

Nina Mkhize  The list of musicians she has worked with is long and impressive.  Bheki Mseleku, Feya Faku, Lu Dlamini, Hugh Masekela, Ray Phiri, Gito Baloi, and Busi Mhlongo are just some of the artists Nina Mkhize has worked with in her music career.  Born in Umlazi,...

Nicky Shange “Music chose me.  From a very young age, I would sing along to songs playing on the radio, and most people complimented me on how good I sounded”, these were the first words Nicky Shange told Marabi Jazz Lounge at a coffee shop in Durban.  The Ntuzuma...

  Drummer Tumi Mogorosi Some jazz musicians have two types of personalities, the on-stage personality and the off-stage personality.  The on-stage personality always drives the audiences to a frenzy, applauded because of their performances, adored for the...

  Linda Sikhakhane. Pic by Siphiwe Mhlambi “Every time I get home sick, I listen to Home at Last by bab’u Bheki Mseleku.  Phone calls from home always make me happy.  Besides, there are few South Africans I know that live in New York”, Linda Sikhakhane said on...

  The fallen hero The jazz fraternity is mourning the passing of musician Hugh Ramapolo Masekela on Tuesday after a battle with prostate cancer.  He was 78 years old.  Masekela will be remembered for his style of playing trumpet, singing and dancing to his...

Prince Lengoasa South Africa has a long list of jazz musicians that have made a name for themselves for their contribution to the industry.  Besides being musicians in their own right, they also inspire and identify other musicians, and nurture them into becoming...

Kevin Naidoo co-owner of The Orbit Imagine a place where one can listen to great jazz while enjoying a good meal, drinks, a great company, and purchase CD’s by artists that perform regularly at the venue.  A place where musicians always socialize and engage with jazz...

Zamindlela Zama 08 December 2017 When Sydney Mavundla’s father forced him to play trumpet every Sunday after church, little did he know his son would be a household name as a trumpeter in South Africa and beyond the country’s borders. “I hated it big time.  Then I was...

Marabi Jazz Lounge 04 December 2017 Jazz enthusiasts will be heading to the City of Tshwane this coming weekend, 8th and 9th December, as the capital will be hosting the inaugural Tshwane International Big Band Festival, which will take place at the Freedom Park. ...

Zamindlela Zama 01 December 2017 When Kevin Davidson first heard John Coltrane’s Lush Life, something happened to him.  He was impressed with the spirituality and originality in Coltrane’s music.  Years later, he witnessed a live performance by Winston Mankunku Ngozi....

Zamindlela Zama 24 November 2017 When Nomthandazo Solomon was growing up, she wanted to be a nurse or a social worker.  She always cared about the health and social being of other people from a very young age.  For some strange reasons, things took a slightly...

Zamindlela Zama 17 November 2017 Zoe Molelekwa was only 6 years old when his pianist father Moses Molelekwa and mother Florence Mtoba died on 13 February 2001.  The incident shocked many people not only in jazz fraternity but the entire arts and entertainment...

Zamindlela Zama 10 November 2017 “This feels like home.  This is home.  I am home”.  This is how jazz saxophonist - composer - scholar - activist Salim Washington describes his stay in South Africa.  His very first visit to the country was in 2009 when he was invited...

By Zamindlela Zama 3 November 2017 Not even last Friday’s rain could stop jazz enthusiasts from attending the 29th Annual Jazz Jol hosted at University of KwaZulu - Natal’s (UKZN) Centre for Jazz and Popular Music. This year’s event was sponsored by Concerts SA, a...

By Zamindlela Zama 27 October 2017 She uses her lyrics to warn women about the dangers of being in abusive relationships, being cheated on and not be treated like ladies. This is what Zoe Masuku also known as Zoe “The Seed”, a vocalist and composer does through her...

By Zamindlela Zama 20 October 2017 “I don’t live in 8 hours. I got rid of the 8-hour mentality long ago. My friends have come to accept that this is how I live my life”, this is what pianist, composer, lecturer and producer Sibusiso Mashiloane told Marabi Jazz Lounge...

By Zamindlela Zama 13 October 2017 Tutu Puoane – The Joni Mitchell Project When Tutu Puoane announces during a live performance at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival that she has a new album and goes on to say she is willing to sign it, there’s no need to waste...

By Zamindlela Zama 06 October 2017 The Standard Joy of Jazz Festival celebrated 20 of existence last weekend at Sandton Convention Centre. Organisers need to be commended for staging such a successful and memorable event.  Sponsors that came on board were from...

By Zamindlela Zama 29 September 2017 South Africa is a country that is known for its rich heritage in arts and culture with jazz being a huge part of that. There is always a belief that jazz is not given the recognition it truly deserves.  Such concerns may have led...