In the Spirit of Ntu cover

In the Spirit of Ntu

Released

Nduduzo Makhathini is the leading figure in the 21st century South African jazz scene. A pianist, educator, producer for other acts, and spiritual healer, he draws from a variety of sources including McCoy Tyner and Bheki Mseleku, but has established his own unique version of spiritual jazz over the course of ten albums. Here, he’s working with younger musicians he has mentored, most notably trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock and saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, and his wife Omagugu, a frequent presence on his albums, sings on the heartfelt “Mama,” a tribute to her own mother, who died in 2020. Makhathini’s piano style is different here than on his other albums; on the opening “Unonkanyamba,” he embraces a heavily rhythmic approach derived from Randy Weston, with vibraphonist Dylan Tabisher as a second melodic-percussive voice, while on the album’s two-part finale, “Senze’ Nina” and “Ntu,” he’s crashing out chords so heavy one immediately thinks of Matthew Shipp and Andrew Hill.

Phil Freeman

Suggestions
I Have the Room Above Her cover

I Have the Room Above Her

Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano
Field Notes cover

Field Notes

Wil Blades
Paris Sessions cover

Paris Sessions

Tierney Sutton
Shaman! cover

Shaman!

Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids
Axiom cover

Axiom

Christian Scott
The Almighty cover

The Almighty

Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few
The Source cover

The Source

Tony Allen
Songs of Universal Peace cover

Songs of Universal Peace

Jay Nair, Ross Hammond