#Song of the Day: Nduduzo Makhathini - "Imvunge KaNtu" - Beyond the Polyrhythms, There Is the Universe of Ntu
Hello, good evening, Minimal Order here. A friend who is knowledgeable about music told me, "You should listen to this." The artist is South African jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini. Today, I'd like to talk about him.
Grandson of a Sangoma, Blue Note Pianist
Nduduzo Makhathini was born in 1982 in Pietermaritzburg (umGungundlovu), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. During his childhood, he learned traditional Zulu healing practices from his grandmother. She was a Sangoma, a traditional spiritual healer.
He earned a degree in jazz piano from the Durban University of Technology and a PhD in music from Stellenbosch University in 2023. In 2020, he became the first South African artist to sign with Blue Note Records. His debut that same year, 'Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworld,' was selected as one of The New York Times' 'Best Jazz Albums of 2020.' Since then, he has released works such as 'In the Spirit of Ntu' (2022) and 'uNomkhubulwane' (2024).
"Imvunge KaNtu" is a lead single from his upcoming album, 'The Myth We Choose,' scheduled for release on June 26, 2026. Co-produced with his 18-year-old son Thingo Makhathini and featuring artists like Shabaka Hutchings and Black Coffee, this album promises to be his most expansive sound to date.
Into the Web of Polyrhythms
The moment you enter this song, something begins. It doesn't just move forward. The beats overlap, shift, and merge again. The polyrhythms are rich, and the progression is mysterious. The more you listen, the more you are drawn in; it never gets old.
The call-and-response between instruments is finely embedded throughout.
The comfort of those small exchanges where the piano and rhythm section question each other—it feels less like interplay and more like a conversation, like a brief exchange between close friends.
His music includes both mellow, simple tracks and avant-garde, passionate ones. It might be a cliché, but I felt that his range of expression is truly vast.
The Worldview of "Ntu"
The title "Imvunge KaNtu" is an homage to the ancient African philosophical concept of "Ntu." Ntu is a worldview where all existence is connected. It is also the core philosophy behind "Ubuntu"—I am because you are.
Makhathini is someone who has argued in his research that "jazz improvisation is a sonic dialogue with the unseen." The spiritual practices he learned as the grandson of a Sangoma and the improvisational nature of jazz are continuous for him. The handclaps in this song, the avant-garde layering of sounds, and the conversational vocal phrases—they are all attempts to embody the Ntu worldview through sound. I feel like I understand why my friend said, "You should listen to this."
Compiled into a Playlist
I have added it to the Bonaccia Records playlist "Ensemble Energy." I am compiling tracks that harbor the heat and dialogue of an ensemble.
See you next time!
Sources
🎵 Music Streaming / X / Bandcamp / Marshmallow
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