5 recent South African jazz albums you should have on repeat

Below are five artists whose releases made a notable impact on the South African jazz scene in 2022:

$​/​he Who Feeds You​.​.​.​Owns You – The Brother Moves On

“The Brother Moves On is a movement that is uncomfortable in the world of reference.” Perhaps this, too, explains the band’s sound – part jazz, part rock, part alternative. Their many influences culminate in something raw and eclectic. Founded by vocalist and songwriter Siya Mthembu, the group has been on the South African music scene for close to 10 years, a significant accomplishment in an industry that is fickle and dictated by transient trends. Most recently, the band came together to present their newest album $​/​he Who Feeds You​.​.​.​Owns You, which was released on Shabaka Hutchings’ indie label Native Rebel Recordings (see Shabaka and The Ancestors to learn more about this collaboration). When I asked Mthembu about the significance of the title, he said: “It’s important in telling the continent’s story, especially from the point of protest and the perspective of a positive framework and reality.”

When one considers this context, the music makes perfect sense: it’s poignant and political. The musical themes include land on the energetic ‘Sphila’, which starts off as repetitive toyi-toyi-like chant laced with lyrics about ownership and displacement. Just as one gets into the groove of it, the song suddenly breaks into the popular struggle hymn ‘Thina Sizwe’. There is a feeling of urgency in some of the compositions, a tension that is propelled by voices, guitar, drums and bass. The horn lines add colour and sophistication, offering a response to a call to action. 

All in all, $​/​he Who Feeds You​.​.​.​Owns You is a powerful offering filled with captivating arrangements from a collective whose sound draws from the past while representing the future.

Cwaka – Mandisi Dyantyis

Deeply influenced by his childhood exposure to choral music, Mandisi Dyantyis is a breath of fresh air in the South African jazz scene. His debut album Somandla released in 2018 earned him critical acclaim, and his 2022 follow-up Cwaka has left no disappointments. In fact, the album feels like the second chapter to a book only Dyantyis could have written. There is a deep calling for hope and healing in the artist’s work. Songs like ‘Mabaphile’ and ‘Ndiyakholwa’ could not be possible without his distinctive voice, an instrument that he uses to evoke vulnerability and emotion. His compositions stand out as anthems that affirm life and the possibility of miracles. It’s almost as if the hope he sings about is one and the same that he summons for himself.

What Dyantyi’s rise to popularity represents is that jazz in its most traditional sense is not dead. To the contrary, traditional jazz in South Africa is thriving. There is often pressure from the mainstream to conform: less double bass and less instrumental solos, in an effort to make the music more commercially appealing. But Dyantyis is obstinate; he is accompanied by a jazz quartet, he plays the trumpet, he sings in his native tongue isiXhosa. While his music is laced with gospel sensibilities, both in harmony and lyricism, it is ‘South African jazz’, and it continues to resonate with fans who fill his shows, whether he is playing in Cape Town, Johannesburg or his homeland of the Eastern Cape. It’s what South African audiences want to hear.

Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë – Thandi Ntuli

Thandi Ntuli is a pianist, singer and songwriter who has cemented herself as a force in the South African jazz scene. She continues to display her exemplary musicianship in her latest album Blk Elijah & The Children of Meroë. The eight-track album offers a glimpse into a utopian land, Meroë, where we can be our highest selves. Ntuli assumes the role of Black Elijah, a conduit and guide who is to lead us there. In this way, the album feels like a sonic adventure to a place we have never been. The album title was inspired by a conversation the artist had with a friend about the prolific organ player Black Moses (Ngwenya). Ntuli jokingly mentioned that she would play the synth for her next album, a task she undertook for this offering.

The lead-off track ‘Izibongo’ is a fitting introduction to an album that Ntuli says is about identity and a reclaiming of joy. Izibonga means ‘surnames’ in Zulu and on the song Ntuli can be heard singing part of her family’s praise chants. The musical references on this album are vast. There are traces of contemporary jazz, African music and world music with hints of Brazilian samba. But even these do the album no justice. How does one use ‘old’ references to describe a new world? 

There is lyrical intention and clarity here, and each song carries a message or lesson. There is also a quiet wisdom in songs like ‘No Wrong Turn’ and ‘Secret Keeper’. The harmonies are beautiful, layered and rich with complementary melodies, which Ntuli sings and plays with masterful ease.

New music from Ntuli gives us a glimpse into where she is in her personal journey – a soundtrack of a constant evolution that is always honest and brave. Artists like her are important because they challenge us to turn our gaze inwardly in our own quest for identity, belonging and purpose.

Forgive Yourself – Tshepo Tsotetsi

Multi-instrumentalist Tshepo Tsotetsi is a musical prodigy whose talent knows no bounds. His first solo offering Forgive Yourself feels like an intimate conversation with a friend – heartwarming and uplifting. With titles like ‘Never Forget to Rest’ and ‘Confront Your Demons, Lest They Learn How You Dance’, the listener gets the feeling that Tsotetsi is relaying lessons that he himself had to learn.

“With this album, I found a sonic conversation that I could share that dealt with confronting one’s self with all honesty and vulnerability,” he says. “I wanted to remind myself that it’s okay to crumble, to suck at times, to fail, to feel terrible. Let it happen, let it pass and observe it intricately. Find something to learn and simply just let time do its thing.” 

The 11-track solo piano album would have been a surprise to many of his fans, who might have expected an offering with saxophone as a central instrument. One could also wonder which of these instruments is the musician’s first, considering the ease with which he plays the piano. While it is impressive, there is no showmanship or ego about his playing; it is almost prayerful and precise. The melodic themes are nuanced: gritty at times on songs like ‘Beast’s Head’, where the bassline is prominent, and less so on songs like the title track, which feels more like a ballad or hymn. The music is beautiful and refreshing in a world that can often be obnoxious and loud. This album draws you in, song by song. Not only does it showcase Tsotetsi’s compositional talent but it also illuminates the work of an artist who is full of surprises.

Listen to Forgive Yourself here.

Umdali – Malcolm Jiyane

Malcolm Jiyane is no newcomer to the South African jazz scene. He has generously contributed to a host of classic albums including that of Herbie Tsoaeli and SPAZA. A multi-instrumentalist who can move from the keyboard to the trombone and then to the mic, Jiyane’s expression is limitless. Umdali (meaning God in English) is his first offering as a band leader and composer and was released on the Mushroom Hour record label. Although the album was released in late 2021, it is an important one to highlight because of the instrument that Jiyane plays – the trombone. Not popular as a leading instrument and often not considered in jazz horn arrangements, the trombone isn’t really visible in the mainstream. Artists like Jiyane, Siya Makuzeni and newcomer Kgethi Nkotsi are breathing new life into the instrument and helping its sound reach more ears.

Umdali feels experimental at times, fusing mbaqanga, funk and blues. The pace of the album is dictated to by the opening track ‘Senzo seNkosi’, which is driven by drums and percussion. The keyboard playing is sparse and gives space for the solos taken by the alto saxophone and trumpet. Jiyane has a gift for writing strong melody lines that are difficult to forget, the kind that stay stuck in your head long after you’ve stopped playing the record. This is the magic of songs like ‘Life Esidimeni’ and ‘Moshe’ – two firm favourites from the album. Umdali is a commendable addition to the South African jazz idiom – a must-have album in your collection.

Although this article highlights five albums and their creators, there are many other artists who continue to shape jazz in South Africa. Special mention has to go out to Shane Cooper and Mabuta for their album Finish The Sun, Tumi Mogorosi who released Group Theory: Black Music and Mthunzi Mvubu and his much awaited-debut album The 1st Gospel.