Thandi Ntuli in Amersfoorte Jazz Fest

Pianist and vocalist Thandi Ntuli (*1987) was born in one of South Africa’s largest townships, Soshanguve (Pretoria). She comes from a lineage of rich musical heritage, being the niece of guitarist, pianist and lead vocalist of 70’s pop fusion band Harari (The Beaters), Selby Ntuli. At the tender age of 4, she started taking classical piano lessons under the tutelage of Ada Levkowitz. However, her keen interest in jazz was only kindled later in life, leading her to enroll and complete a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance at The University of Cape Town. Since the release of her debut jazz album ‘The Offering’,  Thandi is fast making an imprint in the local jazz scene with her unique voice. ‘The Offering’ has received critical acclaim as well as numerous awards and recognition since its release in 2014, namely a MetroFM award nomination for ‘Best Urban Jazz’ in 2015. Her compositions draw from a wide array of influences, this she attributes to the collaborative culture of jazz that has seen her working closely with many artists, across genres. “Thandi Ntuli is part of a new generation of South African musicians who reflect this idea of crosscultural jazz. Raised in South Africa, Ntuli grew up on a mix of South African and American jazz as well as traditional African music,” says Jackson Sinnenberg (NPO.org).

Ntuli is a laureate of the Joy of Jazz Festival (Johannesburg) and performs at Amersfoort Jazz on Day 1 of the Sena Performers International Jazz Laureates Festival in theatre De Lieve Vrouw. Line up: Thandi Ntuli (piano/vocals), Keenan Ahrends (guitar), Benjamin Jephta (bass), Sphelelo Mazibuko (drums) Darren English (Trumpet). Thandi Ntuli and band also performs on Sunday May 27, at Lieve Vrouwekerkhof.