‘Spirit of Ntu’ scoops jazz album of the year award in Germany

SOUTH African pianist, composer, and healer Nduduzo Makhathini is celebrating a great milestone. His latest album, In the Spirit of Ntu, recently bagged a Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics’ Award) for jazz album of the year.

The KwaZulu-Natal-born star, who is on a European tour, took to social media to share the excitement with his fans.

While expressing his gratitude for the international recognition, Makhathini also took the opportunity to explain what the album means and stands for.

In a video clip shared on Instagram this week, he said: “A couple of days ago I was given this award for best jazz album for 2022 and I started to think what it all means against the backdrop of the hidden years of this art form in the continent given the harsh histories of colonialism.

“I started to think about what it means for these stories to be told. And to have songs that are carrying all this knowledge, that are carrying some of these memories that refuse the erasure and also what it means for the world to fellowship and gather around these stories.”

The multi-award-winning muso also thanked everyone who contributed to the making of the 10-track album and his family back home for their love and support.

“I find this piece of recognition to be playing a lot of functions and I just wanted to send my love to all the people that were a part of this (album); musicians, designers, even the people that gathered around the idea and my family. Ntu is a living technology and we can all plug in and find our own freedom,” he concluded.

In the Spirit of Ntu is Makhathini’s 10th studio album, which was released in May. It is the second to be released on Blue Note Records in partnership with Universal Music Group Africa, and the first release on the newly formed imprint, Blue Note Africa.

The album features young musicians including saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, trumpeter Robin Fassie Kock, vibraphonist Dylan Tabisher, bassist Stephen de Souza, percussionist Gontse Makhene and drummer Dane Paris, as well as guest vocalists Omagugu Makhathini and Anna Widauer, and American saxophonist Jaleel Shaw.

Makhathini kicked off his European tour earlier this month in Brussels, and he is set to perform in Milan, Vienna and Paris until mid-December.