(Nina Mkhize)
In
association with Concerts SA and Seaman’s Corner, iSupport Music Business
presents Nina Mkhize Live in concert. Vocalist Mkhize and her band will visit
Hammarsdale on June 3 when she will grace the stage at Seaman’s Corner.
Nina
Mkhize is a jazz trained vocalist and composer and two-time winner of the Old
Mutual Jazz Encounters Awards from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Her repertoire
includes original jazz and African music compositions and renditions of art
songs standards. Her contralto voice has been described as breathy and sultry,
and the style of her music ranges from swing to funk to boss nova. Many of the
songs she performs are original compositions.
Mkhize
counts the late Bheki Mseleku as one of her greatest influences, whom she met
while a student at the defunct music school at the Durban Institute of
Technology now housed at UKZN. In 2004 she performed as a guest singer as part
of Mseleku’s communal at the Melody International Festival at the Mmabatho
International Convention Centre.
Performance
work has seen her front as a singer for the Shuttle Band, a Commission by the
Nordic Council of Ministers which saw a collaboration between an ensemble of
South African and Scandinavian musicians which included Ray Phiri, the late
Gito Baloi, Concord Nkabinde (SA) and Stien Casternsen, Bendik Hofseth, Ricard
Nettermalm (Norway). Formerly, she has led the Standard Bank Youth Jazz Band
under the direction of saxophonist Barney Rachabane at the National Arts
Festival in Grahamstown
Her film
work with Dr Sazi Dlamini has seen her contribute her singing and scoring
talents on soundtracks for the documentary Bhambayi
and movies Sky in Her Eyes and Izulu Lami-a winner of the Djibril Diop
Mamberty Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
A
well-travelled performer, Mkhize has played at an array of stages such as the
North Sea Jazz Festival, SA 10thDemocracy Celebrations in Brazil, the Indoni
Cultural, Joy of Jazz and Unyazi Electrical Music Festivals.
Additionally
she has recorded with and performed on albums by Busi Mhlongo (Indiza), Ian Henderson (Free Falling) and Nibs Van Der Spuy (Flower in the Rain) while appearing in
concert alongside accompanists such as Nduduzo Makhathini, Herbie Tsoaeli,
Ayanda Sikade, trumpeter Feya Faku and famed Malombo sideman percussionist
Gabriel Mabi Thobejane.
Following an erratic concert and recording
schedule with minimal appearances in the live music circuit, she recently
featured her voice on the Rhythms Del
Mundo sessions by the Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer Kenny
Young.
She has also
appeared as a guest singer on the Warm Days Ensemble, an outfit by DJ and
producer QB Smith, which saw her perform alongside composer Thandi Ntuli,
bassist Thembinkosi Mavimbela, percussionist El Hadji and house music vocalist
Khensy.
On a
part-time basis, Mkhize instructs learners on voice and music theory at Umlazi
Comtech. She hopes to release her album of original music, inspired by a
culmination of life experiences in the world soon-to which she attests have
helped expand world view, thus growing her writing talents as an artist which
chronicle her journey through life in the jazz and African music idioms.
The band
for this performance would be Nina Mkhize on vocals, Mandla Zikalala on bass
guitar, Bucco Xaba on drums and Mthobisi Mthalane on piano.
This
performance is part of the Concerts SA Venue Circuit which aims to foster a
love and support for live music in our communities, as well as anchor small and
medium sized venues in urban and rural Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western
Cape.
The
concert takes place on June 3 at 19h00 at Seaman’s Corner in Unit 3, Hammarsdale.
Tickets R30 at the door:
Posts
