Tlale Makhene

Tlale Makhene, born 9 April 1972 in Soweto, is a percussionist and jazz musician from South Africa. Makhene, whose father is the actor Ramolao Makhene, moved early from the township of Soweto near Johannesburg to Swaziland, where he began drumming at the age of four. He was inspired both by the drumming and rhythms of his grandmother, who was a sangoma, and by the jazz records and musicians who frequented his home.

Makhene’s professional career began when three percussionists from Denmark held workshops aimed at discovering new talent. Impressed by his talent, they invited him on a tour through West Africa. Afterwards, he spent three months in Denmark working on projects with John Sund, Yasser Pino, Rune Thorsteinsson and the big band of the Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium.

In 1993, Makhene was at the Funda Centre in Soweto, after having worked with groups such as the Soweto Dance Theatre, the Free Flight Dance Company and PACT.

In 2005, Makhene won the MTN SAMA Award for The Ascension of the Enlightened as Best Contemporary Jazz Album. The album featured musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Paul Hanmer, Water + Lights and Themba Mkhize.

He performed on local and international stages alongside musicians such as Johnny Clegg, Judith Sephuma, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Letta Mbulu and Caiphus Semenya, Sibongile Khumalo, McCoy Mrubata, Dan Selsick, Angélique Kidjo and Manu Dibango. He also toured Japan with Keiko Matsui.

Furthermore, Makhene worked as a percussionist with William Kentridge on his work Refuse the Hour, the series Less Good Idea and on The Head and The Load, which opened the Ruhrtriennale in 2018.

He can also be heard on albums by Oliver Mtukudzi, Pat Matshikiza, Jimmy Dludlu, Lee Ritenour and Nicola Conte.

Photo: Tlale Makhene/ Instagram