Whose Got The Jazz With Thandi Ntuli: Recent Episodes
Jazzuary FM
Whose Got the Jazz with Thandi Ntuli, follows Thandi’s journey of being a jazz musician as well as a jazz lover. Not only is there a focus on the physical journey, with Thandi’s career taking her all over the globe, but there is also a focus on the emotional and intellectual gathering of her journey. Who’s Got the Jazz with Thandi Ntuli, explores the influence of African jazz across the world, and every week, Thandi will discover, Whose Got the Jazz.
While in the MAG(Music Academy of Gauteng) Jazz Orchestra Mthunzi had the privilege to share his musical experiences and rub shoulders with international counterparts during the visits in countries such as England, Sweden, USA, Germany, Russia to name a few. During the USA tour, he played at 32nd annual IAJE conference where he and other MAG students were awarded a Special Citation for Outstanding Musicianship. He was also a part of the MAG big band that accompanied Kevin Mahogany and Everest Greene.
Young Daveyton-born saxophonist, pianist and composer Mthunzi Mvubu started his music career at the tender age of 14 under the mentorship of veteran trumpeter Dr Johnny Mekoa, who also tutored other young jazz stars like Malcolm Jiyan
Nduduzo Makhathini Is a South African jazz musician from Umgungundlovu, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Coming from a musical family, his love for music began at an early age
Nduduzo Makhathini Blue Note's newest recording artist, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini, also practices as a sangoma, a traditional South African healer. On this program, Makhathini guides us through two recordings in which he combines his healing and musical practices
She is now a freelance musician who now leads her own unit which is the one she will be performing with.
Saxophonist Linda Tshabalala. It was the discipline that Mekoa instilled on his students that made Linda survive in South Korea.
A young lady saxophonist from Daveyton, Benoni. She started playing the saxophone under the tutelege of Johnny Mekoa at the Music Academy of Gauteng
Mandla Mlangeni. was raised in Soweto, Johannesburg and a young vibrant graduate of music composition from the University of Cape Town. He is currently writing and performing his music with a band, The Tune and Recreation Committee (TRC), brass band, the Native Groove Collective (NGC), and the newly established Amandla Freedom Ensemble
Ofentse Pitse is the first black South African woman to conduct and own an all-black orchestra.Her 40-piece symphony orchestra contributes to shedding light on African composers and propelling young black youth to excellence.
Gabisile Motuba, popularly known as Gabi Motuba, is a 24 year old jazz vocalist born in Pretoria 1992. She studied at Tshwane University of Technology and completed her studies in 2013. Gabi first became introduced to the notion of music from primary school (Arcadia) where she began to discover her vocal abilities. During her formal studies at the Pretoria High School for Girls, she was exposed to many singing competitions which would influence her in making music a professional career choice. University then became a place to explore her passion and musical taste which led to listening to the likes of Gretchen Parlato, Esperanza Spalding and Concha Buika.
Thandi Ntuli chats to composer , guitarist and band leader Vuma Levin about his upcoming album release "Antique Spoons" due to be releases end of February.
Steve Dyer's 6th album under his own name, is a soundscape of diverse influences to mirror how societies are evolving, and how different cultures, belief systems and peoples have increasingly greater interaction with each other
Thandi speaks to Kwela and Monde of Kwani experience ahead of their Afropunk performance.
Benedikt Reising was born in the Black Forest in 1978. He grew up playing baroque sonatas on his recorder while listening to German punk music.In his capacity as artistic director of the Jazzwerstatt Bern programme, and as musician, Benedikt has had close contact with South African musicians such as Shane Cooper, Kesivan Naidoo, Kyle Shepherd, Benjamin Jephta, Siya Makuzeni, Mandla Mlangeni and Shannon Mowday to name a few.Reising currently teaches saxophone, organises an international jazz festival and works as a freelance musician
Born in Soweto, South Africa, Tlale Makhene is one of South Africa’s sought after drum beater who moved to Swaziland at a young age and began drumming at the age of four. Highly regarded by musicians and musical fans, he is also a teacher, session musician and performer. His ‘The Ascension Of The Enlightened’ album is a true spiritual offering from a truly enlightened man. His passion for music began when he was young, he was influenced by his sangoma grandmother who often danced and ‘roll the bones’ to drumbeats
Born in Johannesburg in 1993, Siphephelo Ndlovu grew up with aspirations of becoming a musician one day. He attended the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School in 2007 and 2008, which clarified his goals of becoming a musician by profession. Working with outstanding conductors and instrumentalists in the choir, Ndlovu gained the fundamental tools to embark on the journey of musicianship. In March 2016, Ndlovu formed The Siphephelo Ndlovu Project, a collection of his original compositions which incorporate his South African culture with his knowledge of jazz. The music of The Project is inspired by his experiences of both his musical environment and his influences (musical and traditional) growing up between Johannesburg and Bergville, KwaZulu Natal. It is a conglomerate of the Jazz, Gospel and uMbaqanga genres. These are the main genres which Siphephelo Ndlovu grew up listening to and which have influenced not only his playing, but his interpretation and language of music. In 2017, Ndlovu joined the band Youthphemism, an urban band composing and performing music across the genres of soul, hip-hop and jazz-fusion. In this band he works with fellow musicians Elizabeth Gaylord and Ndumiso Manana.
Remember the name Camille Thurman. As a composer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, she is quickly becoming one of the standard bearers for the form, making a considerable and dynamic contribution to the legacy of jazz while paying tribute to its heroes.
Titi Luzipo, a jazz sensation started singing at the tender age of 5. Her musical background was enough guarantee that she would take the musical path.Born and bred in the windy city Port Elizabeth. Titi undoubtedly joined the musical train of her family and started playing flute at the the age of 11. She joined the Eastern Cape Youth Philharmonic Orchestra but soon realized that her first love was singing.
Benjamin Jephta Born Coloured: Not Born Free” the title of Cape Town born, Benjamin Jephta’s, masters presentation. The bassist, producer, composer and log time collaborator who has just finished his program at Berkelee Global Jazz Instititute of Music.
Cara Stacey is a South African musician, composer and researcher. She is a pianist and plays southern African musical bows (umrhubhe, uhadi, makhweyane). Cara holds a doctorate in African music, specifically looking at the makhweyane musical bow from eSwatini (University of Cape Town/SOAS)
1 in the field band foundation, and also attended Siyakhula in Umlazi with Dr Brian Thusi. After finishing school, he studied for 2 years at UKZN in the music department until he got an opportunity to go for one year at an exchange program in Norway. He then took an audition at the University of Stavanger and was accepted to begin his bachelor in jazz trumpet studies
Linda Sikhakhane saxophonist, composer and cultural worker. Linda Sikhakhane is a young South African born Saxophonist and Composer, he was born in Umlazi township, Durban. His first musical instrument was the recorder which he played at Clairwood Primary School and his love for jazz was triggered at an early age and this saw him attending music classes under the tutelage of the Legendary Dr Brian Thusi and Mr Khulekani Bhengu. At a later stage he then enrolled to study Music at the UKZN (Howard College) where he obtained his Diploma in Jazz/Pop Music in 2012.
Florian Favre For his new project Néology , Florian Favre focuses on his first musical love: hip-hop. He himself performs not only as pianist, but also as rapper. Together with guest musicians from the USA, France and his trio, Favre tests the boundaries of interaction between text and music and creates a blend of jazz, pop and hip-hop, where poetry and irony melt together.
Sven Götz grew up in Sweden and started playing guitar at the age of 12. Musical stations in various Rock + Popbands, u.a. "ROT" (1er Prize at Young Music Competition of Jazz + Rockschule Freiburg) and with the rock band "man not man". Founding of his own band "PANJOY" which he worked for seven years as a composer, bandleader and manager.
Multi-award winning composer and pianist Bokani Dyer .having musician around in his early life gave Bokani the profound insight into the life of a musician and sparked a keen interest in pursuing music as a career. After taking up formal piano studies at the age 14 for 4 years, he was accepted into the Jazz program at the university of Cape Town where he graduated in 2008 with an Honours degree in performance and Composition with distinction.
Egli played the piano and recorder from the age of five, and started playing the saxophone from the age of eleven. During his school days he played in the Moondogs funk and hip hop group, with which he made recordings. He studied music at the Hochschule der Künste in Zurich (with Christoph Grab and Reto Suhner). He played in the Swiss Jazz Orchestra and was a member of the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra, in which he collaborated on the albums Don't Walk Too Far and Berge Versetzen (with Claudio Puntin, 2010). He also worked with Jürg Wickihalder (Narziss und Echo, 2011). He also works with his own bands, The Murder of Amus Ames and Weird Beard, [2] Since 2008, Egli has also been involved in the Jazzbaragge association.
Sheila Maurice Grey is an improviser; an artist; goes to uni to learn how to improvise and to kind of articulate what she is hearing in her head, and making it make sense through music. Maurice is a London based trumpeter, vocalist , and visual artist . Ms Maurice brings her melange of influences from organic grooves infused with 70s jazz and a touch of West African sonic seasoning. These sounds are heavily influenced by her London upbringing
The band around singer and composer Corinne Nora Huber combines complex elements of instrumental jazz with the simple beauty of songwriting and the subtle use of electronics. NOJAKîN was founded by Corinne Nora Huber in 2013. They toured in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republique, Slovakia, UK and played overseas in New York. Their first album "Silent Smile" was released in 2016, followed by their second album "Perfection in a Bird" in 2018.
Shane Cooper is a bassist, composer and producer based in Cape Town, South Africa. His debut acoustic album Oscillations is out now on iTunes. In 2013 he was selected as the Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz in South Africa. In 2014 Oscillations won the South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Jazz Album. The projects he is currently involved in are MABUTA, the Kyle Shepherd Trio, the Reza Khota Quartet, Skyjack, Kesivan & The Lights, and Card On Spokes. Shane also writes and performs electronic dance music under the name Card on Spokes, and has shared the stage with Little Dragon, Daedelus, Young Fathers, and performed live on Boiler Room.
JENNY is a swiss based band of trumpet player Lukas Thöni, saxophon player Florian Egli, pianist Philipp Eden, bass player Raphael Walser and drummer Jonas Ruther. They play that kind of jazz music which has its roots in the 60’s. Driving swing and melodic improvisations fill the concert room with the energy you need for turning your day into night-life.The Band doesn’t want to boycott the Internet, but they will fill the content of their online appearance with what it deserves. Therefore you will not be able to hear any music or see any concert videos. If you would like to experience the music of JENNY, you will need to go out, meet people, have a drink, feel your body moving, turn off your brain and celebrate life!
Keenan Ahrends is a Cape Town based Jazz guitarist who started playing at the age of fifteen. After completing his jazz performance studies at the University of Cape Town and the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2009, Ahrends has been actively involved in performing ,composing and teaching. Sphelelo Mazibuko was born in Newcastle, Northern region of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. He was born into a family with generations of musical tradition. With his Grandmother being a singer, his father a singer & guitarist and his siblings also musicians, the musical heritage became second nature to Sphelelo & he was inevitably destined to respond to the passion of music in a big way.
Jazz on The Hill presents pianist, producer, composer and band leader Luyanda Madope and Connecting Generations Feat. Vocalist Titi Luzipo.Anybody that has listened to that album will attest to its solidity. The young producer also lent his Midas touch to Judith Sephuma’s “I Am I a Living Testimony” album. The aforementioned projects established Madope as a formidable force in the music industry.
Nils Berg, who is a reedman, composer and arranger from Sweden, spoke to Thandi about the music her wrote for Euregio Orkester at Jazzwerkstatt in Bern, Switzerland. Nils also explains his creative process on writing the music, as well as the thinking behind his project Cinemascope.
On this week's episode of Who's Got The Jazz, Thandi talks to Benedikt Reising and Rico Baumman about #Jazzwerkstatt, a Jazz festival organised and run by jazz musicians in Bern, Switzerland.