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About
Steve Dyer, Bokani Dyer, Linda Sikhakhane & Ndabo Zulu in conversation with John Santos
The year 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the first democratic elections in South Africa, and one element of societal change is the ongoing process of asserting personal and collective self-identity that was marginalized and subjugated under apartheid. This is vividly present in the current-day South African jazz and exemplified by the biographies and artistic practices of the four South African musicians who will be in conversation with each other and the audience on the eve of their performances at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival.
The themes of Migration, Displacement, and artistic output of the Diaspora, present in the currently on view exhibitions at MoAD, can be discussed in historical and present-day terms, and looking at them through the lens of music, jazz specifically, and its tradition is revealing. In the words of Steve Dyer – “one of our democratic success stories is the mushrooming of progressive musical output”, and South African musicians are creating a new chapter in history growing in footprint in other territories of the world. These and more historical and contemporary elements and connections, including the trans-Atlantic one with American jazz, will be brought forth and illustrated musically in a conversation between these four exceptional musicians.
Be sure to return to the Yerba Buena neighborhood for a concert performance with DYERTRIBE: STEVE & BOKANI DYER + IZITHUNYWA FEAT. NDABO ZULU & LINDA SIKHAKHANE on Saturday, June 8 from 1-3pm.
Learn more about the musicians:
South African saxophonist, flautist, composer and producer Steve Dyer believes that no single culture owns the monopoly on humanwisdom. Every human life born into whatever culture, ethnicity or spiritual belief system has the same value.“one of Southern Africa’s most devoted scholars and disciples of indigenous African music…a globally accomplished jazz musician and producer” -South African Broadcasting Corporation
Born in 1986 in Gaborone, Botswana, where many artists from South Africa, including his father, Steve Dyer, were living in exile during apartheid, Bokani Dyer moved back to SA as a child in 1990. He grew up mainly in Johannesburg before moving to study jazz at the prestigious University of Cape Town. Known for the innovative ways in which to embrace his heritage and tradition, pianist, composer and producer, Bokani has earned breathless praise from critics for his seamless integration of styles from straight-ahead Jazz to Afrobeat to Amapiano.
Similar to Bokani & Linda, saxophonist & composer Ndabo Zulu belongs to the new generation of musicians, the "born free" generations of South Africa who have deeply explored questions of identity and belonging in music, while looking forward artistically and into the current musical developments. Zulu’s 2020 debut album called Queen Nandi: The African Symphony (2020) received numerous accolades and awards, and he is the last person to have won the SAMRO Indigenous Music composer's award.
Alongside Ndabo, Linda has benefited greatly from the mentorship of the acclaimed musician Nduduzo Makhathini and has worked extensively with the wide array of American, European and South African jazz and improvised music greats. While embracing the contemporary styles, his music looks at the African traditions and offers the listener a chance to remain fully immersed in the spiritual aspects of the music while concurrently admiring the studious nature of its technical proficiency.
Moderated by John Santos
Seven-time Grammy nominee, 2012 San Francisco Latino Heritage Arts Award winner, SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director (2013 & 2014), and US Artist Fontanals Fellow, John Santos, is a major bandleader, composer, producer, percussionist, and educator in Afro-Latin music with a professional career spanning five decades. John's newest CD, Vieja Escuela (Old School), by The John Santos Sextet with 14 musical guests was released on his Machete records label in January of 2024.
This program is presented in partnership with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and organized in partnership with City of Gold Arts
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