A very special night with visionary South African pianist, composer, and healer Nduduzo Makhathini.

Nduduzo Makhathini grew up in the lush, rugged landscape of umGungundlovu in South Africa. The area is historically significant as the site of the Zulu king Dingane kingdom between 1828 and 1840. Zulu, in fact the African warrior code, is deeply reliant on music for motivation and healing. Nduduzo’s experiences as a traditional Zulu healer are inseparable from his improvisational performance.

Nduduzo’s music draws influence from South African jazz legends such as Bheki Mseleku, Moses Molelekwa, and Abdullah Ibrahim. He also blends flavours from the great American jazz canon – like John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, and Randy Weston. The result is a cross-continental, multi-layered melodic groove.

Tonight, Nduduzo performs music from his new release on the legendary Blue Note label, In the Spirit of Ntu.