Yonela Mnana

Bio

Yonela Mnana is a South African blind jazz scholar, a recording singer and jazz pianist who also teaches and composes.

The diversity that underlies this programme has always been inherent throughout his life, while he is a long time citizen of Newtown, an artist hub. He was born in the South Eastern Cape part of Transkei and schooled in the northern most parts of the Limpopo province, the Thogwaneng Based Siloe Boarding School close 30km outside Polokwane. His Catholic School tuition coupled with the Sepedi and home town IsiXhosa musical background seep through his jazz inspired compositions effortlessly. His high school choral experience was later crystallised by his classical and jazz lectures at Wits University where he completed a junior and master’s degrees, i.e. B.Mus and M.Mus with distinction. He has subsequently been awarded the Arts Research in Africa (ARA) bursary and is currently pursuing his PhD degree in South African solo jazz pianism.

Before he released his solo debut album ‘baba’ in 2016, he paid his dues in jazz clubs around Johannesburg, throughout South Africa and abroad as a sideman and co-composer. His internal collaborations with dj Qb Smith (London), The Mill (Bern, Switzerland) and soon to be released ‘Equal Spirits’ with Raphael Clarkson (UK) bear some testament to such work. though his he traversed the SADC via Bushfire (Swaziland), king’s celebration (Lesotho), TRC (Mozambique and Oranjemund (Namibia) his work is with township schools and young students under his mentorship. Some of the projects have been with Vivacious Sounds, Gugulethu High School choir, Peart Memorial Corps songsters, the Jazz Tag and Harmonarty Fourtet. Lastly, his upcoming album release later this year will be barely two years on the heels of his last released single ‘iskhalo’.

He has also had encounters with some of the known popular artists, solely working as sideman (or accompanist) to singers such as Siphokazi, Ringo Madlingozi, Dr Tumi, Gloria Bosman, Zoe Modiga, Dumza Maswana, Maleh, Thandi Klasen, Lindiwe Maxolo, Thandiswa Mazwai, Nomsa Mazwai, etc.

Posts

Yonela Mnana's picture

Yonela Mnana added 2 new videos

skylark 2016 featuring the jazz tag trio
timelessnes december 2019 jazz in our lifetime live at the agog gallery
Yonela Mnana's picture

Yonela Mnana added 3 new videos

how we love featuring thandi ntuli september 2016
bouncing with oscar rachabane in maputo may 2015
isn't she lovely march 2019
Yonela Mnana's picture

Yonela Mnana added a new video

jikijela april 2017

Music

Track artwork
Yonela Mnana
Don't Want To Know QB Smith ft Yonela Mnana & Keorapetse Koloane
03:08
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Yonela Mnana
Ngeke Ng'vume
05:56
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Yonela Mnana
Ng'yekele
05:20
SoundCloud
Track artwork
Yonela Mnana
Baba
05:26
SoundCloud

Videos

Thixo
Zimasile
skylark 2016 featuring the jazz tag trio
timelessnes december 2019 jazz in our lifetime live at the agog gallery
how we love featuring thandi ntuli september 2016
isn't she lovely march 2019
bouncing with oscar rachabane in maputo may 2015
jikijela april 2017
Ntyilo
covid19 keys monologue part 1
Ringo rehearsal Duo
MarkRigorous
reflecting on the masters (impromptu session(20210802 125240
Yakhalinkomo
Moloi
Mama by Nomthandazo Solomon
Nntokozo live
Tshona
The colour bar
Zim ibrahim
Nontle part 2
Nontle part 1
Someday we’ll all be free
Yonela Mnana & Soultee sisters presents Mbaqanga: Our kind of Blues.
Yehlisanumoya version by Gugu Kubheka
Emthunzini vibe with friends at home
Soultee sisters sing Katlehong blues
Busisa abantwana
Lakutshonilanga
Lizie (solo version)
Yonela Mnana & The Vivacious Sounds
Yonela Mnana Live Stream
Vivacious Sounds Choralism
KOSHA- MZANSI CHORAL
Yonela Mnana
Yonela Mnana
Yonela Mnana
Yonela Mnana Kosha with Vivacious Sounds
Someday my prince will come — thabo morajane
Learning mseleku
My one and only love
Bongani Mthombeni
Well you needn’t — Thelonious Monk
It was you by Frank mccomb
Stimela
Tshawe
Tar road
Seskhathele
Stoki stoki
Ingoma ka gogo
Isencane
Cheers for the night
Vivacious sounds Christmas’s carols part 1
Kgosi Seretse
Bra Herbs
Somandla
Phuma kimi
Mtanami
Live at Young Blood with Afrika Mkhize, Nhlanhla MahlanguMahlangu, etc
Amen
Dumza Maswana live in Makhanda
Utlwang barolong
Iskhalo
Blue bosa... windowsessions
Where is the love
You got a friend— version by Yonela Mnana
A genuine soul
JESUS is the answer, Andre Crouch
Rato
Soultee sing Water Under Bridges
Frank Mccomb
State theatre rehearsal
For all we know
bye bye black bird
si bonise
si bonise2
remember_the_day
nako_nngwe
BLACK
BLACK 2
ZAJohannesburg, South Africa
In operation since: 
2005

Contact

0823488492
0823488492
Yonela Mnana

Followers (3)

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