Jazz in the Native Yards presents the Easter Jazz Weekend featuring Nduduzo Makhathini’s Ikhambi concert with the Cure Collective on Saturday April 15, at Kwa Sec NY 138, No 52, from 5pm.
The acclaimed pianist, and a recipient of the prestigious 2015 Standard Bank Yound Artist for Jazz, will perform with saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, the young trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock, a relative of popstar Brenda Fassie, bassist Sakheel Cullis and Asher Gamedze on drums.
Makhathini hails from Umgungundlovu near Pietermaritzburg where he was exposed to music at an early age.
“My mother was a pianist and my father a guitarist, they both exposed me to a range of music including traditional Zulu music, ” said Mr Makhathini.
He recalled turning the knob on the radio until it reached the end, where he would listen to Indian music.
Before he could lay his hands on a musical instrument, Makhathini was in a school and church choirs. It was only after high school that he started to study jazz piano.
“I reached a point where my voice limited me from expressing the music, and that’s when I focused on the piano,” he said.
Mr Makhathini has toured the world and shared the stage with musicians such as Zim Ngqawana, Feya Faku Quintet and McCoy Mrubata.
He has three albums out, Sketches of Tomorrow, Mother Tongue, which was nominated for best jazz at the 2015 SAMA’s and Listening To The Ground.
He is best known as “uMalume” by his fans.
Tickets cost R70 and R50 for pensioners. Call Luvuyo Kakaza on 060 960 8935.
