HIS eighth album zooms further into the sound of home, pulling jazz lovers into the treasures of the craft. The album release has all the makings of a celebration.

The celebration follows Dr Sibusiso ‘Mash’ Mashiloane’s graduation with a doctorate from UKZN this month. His research focused on local jazz identity and the ways South African musicians give voice to their heritage through jazz.
According to Mashiloane, his research raises awareness about the richness of South Africa’s distinctive musical traditions, which reflect the country’s diverse cultures.
“We have a Sound of Home. It is time for us to treasure it. There is no need for us to look outside for musical resources to support our compositions and practice; everything we need is already within us,” he said.

Also read: UKZN music lecturer set to record album live in Switzerland

His manager, Marlyn Ntsele, shared that walking alongside Mashiloane on his PhD journey had been a pure adventure, adding that his commitment to honouring African heritage through music was not just his academic hustle, but also showcased his cultural muscle in full flex.
She said, “Watching him juggle performance, scholarship, teaching, and family has been like watching jazz music itself: complex, unpredictable, layered, and super smooth. The Sound of Home isn’t just his PhD, it is his ‘drops mic, cue standing ovation’ moment.”

UKZN praised Mashiloane’s scholarly work and recitals, describing them as “musical awakenings where musicians internalised and practised jazz as a language spoken through their own accents, languages, and meanings”.

Isigqi  will be released live at the Bird’s Eye, on all digital platforms on May 30. The release will be followed by a live launch event at The Chairman in Durban on June 1, featuring a stellar line-up of celebrated musicians.

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