Popular jazz music show, Jazz in the Native Yards, will host another sensational singer, Msaki, on Sunday April 8, at Kwa Sec NY 138 No 52, from 4pm.
Well-known as Msaki, Asanda Lusaseni Mvana was born in East London and grew up in East London, Butterworth, Grahamstown, Peddie, Nqamakhwe and Cathcart where her love of music was rooted within family.
Her father was a DJ while studying at the University of Fort Hare. He also ran choirs and became Msaki’s first influence.
Her grandfather was a well-known composer and Msaki rightfully follows in his footstep.
Msaki’s compositions is of a sound that combines soulful folk with symphonic movements, Xhosa lyrics and African poly-rhythms.
While studying visual art and Design in 2008 in East London, she became part of an alternative rock band.
She started spending time in friends’ studios and contributed to the underground music scene where music was recorded and shared unofficially.
In 2009 she went to Grahamstown to further her studies in Visual Arts where she formed her first band.
She is a self-taught guitarist who first picked up the instrument in 2010 while on a student exchange programme at Leeds University in England. Msaki spent long hours in her room writing songs.
In 2012 she was selected to study in North Carolina in America with 30 other artists, musicians and writers.
“It is at that time that I focused on creating music,” says Msaki “Finding my own spirituality led to express myself much more freely through music and on my return home, I signed with indie label, One Shushu Day Artistry,” she said.
In 2013, Msaki independently recorded and released an EP called Nal’ithemba which was produced by Cobus van Dyk. She then released her debut album Zaneliza: How the Water Moves under her label One Shushu Day Artisty in 2016.
“Zaneliza is about loss, hope and the wave-like rhythms in between those two states of being,” says Msaki. The album was co-produced with award-winning jazz pianist, Nduduzo Makhatini.
Msaki is currently promoting Zaneliza with exciting international appearances, nation-wide gigs and interesting collaborations lined up this year.
Ticket are R120 cash at the door.
Contact Luvuyo Kakaza at 060 960 9835 for details.
