The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music will present Talent and the very talented band on Wednesday September 21, 2022.
Talent Mbatha leads the band on a repertoire that consists of his compositions. These vary in styles but hopefully more interesting is that the music is going to speak for itself. Durban-born Mbatha is a versatile bassist, arranger, composer, producer, studio engineer and music lecturer, who derives his music style from a diverse range of influences, including Maskandi, Mbhaqanga, jazz, pop, contemporary rock, soul and fusion.
Spending a large part of his early life in northern KwaZulu-Natal, he grew up listening to musicians such as Mfaz’omnyama, Hhash’elimhlophe, Phuzekhemisi, Mfiliseni Magubane, and the Soul brothers who influenced him to approach American standards with an African feel.
Talent, who began learning to play bass guitar aged 11, assembled his first jazz band in 2008 and since then has performed at events such as the Hazelmere Dam Jazz Festival, Ugu Jazz Festival, the Moratele Park festival as well as on international stages backing other artists. His formal music education started after matric when he joined a music learnership group at the Bat Centre in Durban which helped him prepare him for study at UKZN where he obtained a jazz music diploma, majoring in Music Performance and Production.
Talent has worked with many well-known artists including the multi-Grammy award winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Dr Brian Thusi, Zakes Bantwini, Mondli Ngcobo, hip hop’s Kasi Rap General Zakwe, Duncan ‘Skuva”Mbambo’, Bongi Dube, Ntokozo Masinga, Mondli Ngcobo, Mfiliseni Magubane, and Mdu Mahlobo.
Talent and the very Talented band consists of Talent Mzukulu Mbatha on lead bass, Sbahle Mthembu on drums, Ntobeko Shandu on 2nd bass, Nhlakanipho Zulu on keys, Shemual Mahabeer on keys, Siya Duma on saxophone, Thabo Skhakhane on trumpet and Zoe Masuku on vocals.
Talent and the very Talented band will perform at 18h00 (doors open at 17h30) on September 21, 2022, at 18h00 (doors open 17h30) at the UKZN, Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, Dennis Shepstone Building, level 2.
Tickets: R100 (R70 pensioners and R40 students)
Booking need to be done by 15h00 on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at 18h00. Email zamat1@ukzn.ac.za
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