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Over the last decade in jazz’s evolution, no pianist has had the impact of South African keyboard great Nduduzo Makhathini. He brings his working trio and music from his newest Blue Note session, The Myth We Choose, to this SFJAZZ debut.

Born in the lush province of KwaZulu-Natal and raised within the spiritual traditions of Zulu culture, Nduduzo Makhathini has become one of the most visionary figures in contemporary jazz. His music fuses the expansive language of American jazz with African spirituality, ritual, and collective memory, creating performances that feel equally like concerts and ceremonies. Deeply influenced by John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, and South African legends Bheki Mseleku and Abdullah Ibrahim, Makhathini has developed a profoundly personal sound marked by thunderous improvisation, lyrical sensitivity, and emotional depth.

A prolific recording artist, educator, and scholar, Makhathini became the first South African artist signed to Blue Note Records in decades, earning international acclaim for albums including Modes of Communication, In the Spirit of Ntu, and uNomkhubulwane. His work has established him as a global ambassador for modern African jazz and one of the music’s most spiritually resonant voices.

With The Myth We Choose, Makhathini continues his fearless exploration of identity, ancestry, and liberation, crafting music of breathtaking power, intimacy, and transcendence.