Madala Kunene

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal is hosting a performance by internationally acclaimed veteran musician, Madala Kunene, on Wednesday, October 28 at 6 pm. This concert closes off UKZN’s Wednesday Jazz series for 2015.
Kunene will present some favourites from his repertoire, as well as some new tunes from his latest offering 1959 that highlights and celebrates the Mkhumbane history. The album features collaborations with Guy Battery, Sazi Dlamini and Hugh Masikela to name a few, as well as showcase young musicians from his mentorship programme. It is set to be released on digital media and CD on November 2.

Madala is well known for is successful duo with the late Syd Kitchen (Bafo Bafo). This cross-cultural musical collaboration between two highly individual guitar stylists created a musical landscape that was absolutely unique, and culminated in the release of their only album together, What Kind?. Bafo Bafo delivered a musical tapestry that was at once a living embodiment of the “new” South Africa.

He recently participated in a project at the Durban Playhouse called Bhakti, which merges his music with contemporary dance pieces created by award-winning choreographer Lillian Loots, and in the 2015 Poetry Africa festival alongside Nsiki Mazwai.

The King of Zulu guitar will be joined by Vishen Kemraj on tabla and Mduduzi Magwaza on flute at the Centre for Jazz which is on level two of the Shepstone Building on UKZN’s Howard College Campus.

Tickets are R50 (pensioners R30 and students R15). Please contact Thuli on 031 260 3385 or email Zamat1@ukzn.ac.za for more information.