Sultry vocalist Nina Mkhize heads for Hammarsdale

Seaman’s Corner: Saturday 3 June
In association with Concerts SA and Seaman’s Corner, iSupport Music Business presents Nina Mkhize Live in concert. Vocalist Mkhize and her band will visit Hammarsdale on Saturday 3 June when she will grace the stage at Seaman’s Corner.
Nina Mkhize is a jazz trained vocalist and composer and two-time winner of the Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Awards from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Nina’s repertoire includes renditions of original jazz and African music compositions. Her contralto voice has been described as breathy and sultry and the style of her music ranges from swing to funk to bossa nova. Many of the songs she performs are original compositions.
Mkhize counts the late Bheki Mseleku, whom she met while a student at the music school at the then Durban Institute of Technology, now housed at UKZN. In 2004 she performed as a guest singer as part of Mseleku’s communal at the Melody International Festival at the Mmabatho International Convention Centre.
Performance work has seen her front up as a singer for the Shuttle Band, a commission by the Nordic Council of Ministers which saw a collaboration between an ensemble of South African and Scandinavian musicians which included Ray Phiri, the late Gito Baloi, Concord Nkabinde (SA) and Stien Casternsen, Bendik Hofseth, Ricard Nettermalm (Norway). She has led the Standard Bank Youth Jazz Band under the direction of saxophonist Barney Rachabane at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.
Her film work with Dr Sazi Dlamini has seen her contribute her singing and scoring talents on soundtracks for the documentary Bhambayi and movies Sky in Her Eyes and Izulu Lami-a winner of the Djibril Diop Mamberty Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
Nina as a well-travelled performer has played on an array of stages, such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, SA 10th Democracy Celebrations in Brazil, the Indoni Cultural, Joy of Jazz and Unyazi Electrical Music Festivals.
Additionally she has recorded with and performed on albums by Busi Mhlongo (Indiza), Ian Henderson (Free Falling) and Nibs Van Der Spuy (Flower in the Rain) while appearing in concert alongside accompanists such as Nduduzo Makhathini, Herbie Tsoaeli, Ayanda Sikade, trumpeter Feya Faku and famed Malombo sideman percussionist Gabriel Mabi Thobejane.
Following an erratic concert and recording schedule with minimal appearances in the live music circuit, she recently featured her voice on the ‘Rhythms Del Mundo’ sessions by the Grammy award winning songwriter and producer Kenny Young. She has also been guest singer for the Warm Days Ensemble, an outfit by DJ and producer QB Smith, which saw her perform alongside composer Thandi Ntuli, bassist Thembinkosi Mavimbela, percussionist El Hadji and house music vocalist Khensy.
Nina instructs learners on a part-time basis in voice and music theory at Umlazi Comtech.
She hopes to release her album of original music soon, thus growing her writing talents as an artist and chronicling her journey through life in the jazz and African music idioms.
Nina’s band for this performance is Mandla Zikalala on bass guitar, Bucco Xaba on drums and Mthobisi Mthalane on piano.
“I’m very excited and look forward to playing my music for the people of Hammarsdale. Being on stage, surrounded by musicians is a huge epiphany and shot in the arm for me. So the whole process of hearing melodies in your head, working on them, to performing the music live to an audience is somewhat scary but interesting every time. I’m a big believer in singing the songs we write as musicians, so people can expect a lot of original songs from my upcoming album and one or two covers in between.” says Nina Mkhize
This performance is part of the Concerts SA Venue Circuit which aims to foster a love and support for live music in our communities, as well as anchor small and medium sized venues in urban and rural Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.
Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian live music development project housed within the SAMRO Foundation. Concerts SA receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAMRO, the SAMRO Foundation and Concerts Norway. Working with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, and providing support to the sector through research and skills development for music professionals, the project aims to build a vibrant and viable live music circuit in southern Africa. It also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools.
For more information please visit our website http://concertssa.co.za, follow @ConcertsSA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConcertsSA.
Seaman’s Corner – Hammarsdale, Unit 3
Saturday 3 June – 7pm
Tickets available at the door: R30

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