South African pianist and singer Nduduzo Makhathini is set to captivate audiences in the Bay Area with his soulful performances, blending traditional African rhythms with the rich tapestry of jazz. As he takes the stage in Berkeley, Half Moon Bay, and Santa Cruz, Makhathini's music promises to be a transformative experience, weaving together the spiritual and the emotional in a way that transcends boundaries.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Zulu Goddess

Honoring the Deity of Abundance and Creation

Nduduzo Makhathini's musical journey is deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of his native South Africa. His latest album, "uNomkhubulwane," is a three-movement suite that pays homage to the Zulu goddess of rain, nature, and fertility. This protean deity serves as a powerful symbol, challenging the Western narrative that often focuses on the continent's perceived scarcity rather than its abundance."On the contrary, almost everything, minerals, philosophies, mathematics, really emerged from this part of the world," Makhathini explains. "That's how I came up with uNomkhubulwane, a rain goddess who regulates abundance and all creation of the world. In the Zulu creation story, our god is genderless, the one who appeared first, and that changes how we think of maternal energy."

Tapping into the Collective Black Memory

Makhathini's creative process for the suite was deeply influenced by his own spiritual experiences. During his initiation as a healer, he was immersed in water to encounter uNomkhubulwane, and it was there that he heard the "mother song" that would become the foundation for the first movement of the suite. This movement, he says, is an expression of "collective Black memory within a state of protest against ongoing oppression and mourning that has made us lose our voices."

Bridging the Divide Between Spirituality and Sound

Makhathini's musical practice is a testament to his belief in the inextricable link between healing and sound. Growing up, he witnessed this connection through his grandmother, a sangoma or traditional Zulu healer. However, when he began studying jazz piano at the Durban University of Technology, he was disconcerted to find that the pedagogy completely overlooked the spiritual and healing aspects of music."Healing isn't something we bring to the music," he explains. "It's a holistic ecosystem that has always functioned in this way, so I was disoriented by that experience at university, where there was no connection between spirituality and sound."

Honoring the Lineage of African Jazz Masters

Makhathini's music is deeply rooted in the rich tradition of African jazz, drawing inspiration from the likes of John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Abdullah Ibrahim, and Bheki Mseleku, a Durban-based multi-instrumentalist who became a key mentor to the young pianist. It was through Mseleku that Makhathini discovered the direct connection between Coltrane's spiritual masterpiece, "A Love Supreme," and the African musical heritage."I couldn't stop making connections between Mseleku and McCoy Tyner," Makhathini recalls. "I'm currently writing a paper exploring what is this thing evoking this deep sense of memory, which points us back to some kind of folksiness."

Bringing the Trio to the West Coast

Makhathini's trio, which will be performing in the Bay Area, features two young South African musicians now living in the US: New York drummer Kabelo Mokhatla and New Haven-reared bassist Zwelkahe Duma Bell le Pere, whom Makhathini has mentored since he was quite young. "Now he ranks as one of the my favorite musicians," the pianist says.As Nduduzo Makhathini takes the stage in Berkeley, Half Moon Bay, and Santa Cruz, audiences can expect a deeply spiritual and transformative experience, one that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Africa and its enduring influence on the world of jazz. Through his music, Makhathini invites us to reconnect with the rhythms of the earth, the wisdom of the ancestors, and the boundless potential of the human spirit.