The contribution black artists have made to contemporary music is impossible to quantify. Whether it is the far reaching influence of the African diaspora on local musical practices, or the virtuosic innovations of American jazz artists, black creativity has influenced all people in all places. It has pushed the artform into bold and exciting new […]

Move over, yoga and mindfulness apps. In Modes of Communication: Letters From The Underworlds, Nduduzo Makhathini takes meditation to a new level with his masterclass on spirituality and modern jazz. Hailed as the “Sonic Shaman”, the prolific pianist and healer creates music imbued with buoyancy and lush storytelling rooted in Zulu rituals and traditions. There […]

“if jazz is looking to reinvent itself…Shabaka and the Ancestors might be a good place to start.” – The New York Times Shabaka & The Ancestors have released their debut album on Impulse! – We Are Sent Here By History. The group’s breakout 2016 album, Wisdom of Elders, established Shabaka & The Ancestors as a […]

Visionary South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini will be releasing his debut album on Blue Note Records this April – the first South African artist ever to sign to the prestigious jazz label. The album, titled Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds, is musically anchored by Makhathini’s expressive piano and blends lyrical, plaintive […]