(Nduduzo Makhathini. Pic by Adam McConnachie)
Johannesburg-based
jazz pianist NduduzoMakhathini (32) has been awarded by the National Arts
Festival as the 2015 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz.
Growing up in the
small town uMgungungdlovo in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Makhathini was
surrounded by music as a child. Coming from a very musical family- his mother
was a pianist and his father a guitarist- he was exposed to a range of music
including traditional Zulu music. He recalls turning the knob on the radio
until it reached the end, where he would listen to Indian music. He was part of
the choir at school and would sing at church, and until he completed school,
his voice was his instrument. 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 feels his career
has developed in what he describes as an organic process, starting with his
upbringing and the influence of his mother being his first piano teacher. “Over
the years I have learnt that if you submit yourself to the music or whatever
your dream is, then mother-nature has a way of taking care of the rest”.
After school, in
2001, he went to study music at the Durban Institute of Technology. Here he
learnt under the guidance of Neil Gonsalves, Demi Fernandez and Susan Berry.
In 2006, Makhathini
performed with voice featuring Marcus Wyatt, HerbieTsoaeli, Morabo Molajele and
Sydney Mnisi. Following that, he toured Europe with internationally acclaimed
Simphiwe Dana and shared stages with Herbie Hancock and Miriam Makeba,- to name
a few - at the Avo Session Jazz Festival in Basel. In 2008 Makhathini joined
legendary jazz saxophonist Zim Ngqawana’s Zimology Quartet and toured with them
throughout Europe and the United States. In 2009 he joined Carlo Mombeli’s band
and continued to tour with the Zimology Quartet. He has also worked with
musicians to the likes of Andile Yanana, Kesivan Naidoo, Sidney Mavundla,
Ayanda Sikade, Omagugu, Feya Faku, McCoy Mrubata, Mthunzi Mvubu and Malcolm
Jiyane, Xolani Sithole, Mbusi Khoza, Lindiwe Maxolo, Tumi Mogorosi, Sisa Sophazi
and Jonathan Crossley. He performed in Swaziland with Adam Glasser featuring Concord
Nkabinde.
He has performed at
the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Jazz in the Cradle at Nirox, The
Lagos Jazz Series Nigeria and Ljubljana Jazz Festival in Europe.
Aside from his
impressive experience on both the local and global jazz scene composing,
producing and assembling music, Makhathini is a teacher and a philosopher. This
father of three, attributes his role on the music scene as one of a translator.
He feels the music comes from an external source and he is the path through
which it is communicated to the audience. “My family also has a gift of healing
and music was the only way I could best express and celebrate these gifts.”
Makhathini
reminisces about spending time with Malcolm Braff and Ayanda Sikade at The
National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, discussing a shared connection between
music and spirituality. He has fond memories of the festival and reflects: “I
first went to National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in 2005 spending two weeks
just playing music. I had an amazing time, jamming every night.” The following
year Makhathini joined musicians in the jazz line-up at the festival. “Collaborating
with people makes it possible for us to go out there and do what we can” he
elaborates.
Nduduzo Mhakhatini
has produced a number of albums over recent years with acclaimed jazz
musicians. The album Zilindile with
Omagugu won Metro FM’s Best Contemporary Jazz in 2013, and the album Time with Lindiwe Maxolo was a SAMA
nominee. Mother Tongue was his first
album of his own work. It is about his home language of isiZulu, its traditions
and how his mother introduced sounds and songs to him before the language itself.
“Mother Tongue speaks of my childhood
memories, my heritage and trying to define my history, my present, and my
future. It is dedicated to my mom.”
Sketches of Tomorrow he attributes to his children and is about
painting pictures of sounds to come. Makhathini is currently working on a
project called Listening to the Ground
which is a follow up to Mother Tongue.
Makhathini, who
spends his days practicing, listening to music and running to rehearsals, says
“The award means a lot to me and it came as a surprise. I am very grateful to
the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards for the opportunity they give to artists
to share their story. For an artist it doesn’t get better than being given a
platform to express oneself, and for this I am grateful.”
The other
recipients of the 2015 Standard Bank Young Artist Award are Luyanda Sidiya
(Dance), Kemang waLehulere (Visual Art), Musa Ngqungwana (Music), Athi Patra-
Ruga (Performance Art), and Christiaan Olwagen(Theatre).
This year’s National Arts Festival will take place in
Grahamstown from July 2 to 12. For more information click on the banner advert
at the top of this page to link you to the website.
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