AMANZIMTOTI-based music composer and university lecturer, Sibusiso Mashiloane, is grateful to God for allowing him to have the energy, passion and discipline to complete all the important projects he is involved in.

Also read: Award-winning artist brings jazz to Amanzimtoti [Video]

He has released seven jazz albums, with the most recent one, Izibongo (Homage to Gratefulness) being released in December 2023. Mashiloane is a music lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), teaching piano and music theory. He is also about to graduate with a PhD in music.

When he released his first album, Amanz’ Olwandle, in 2016, he said the plan was for the seventh release to be his last, but he realised that music still came to him and he could not stop composing.

“I can’t shut that music out and tell myself I’m done. I’m thankful to God who is the source from where all these notes are coming,” said Mashiloane.

All seven of his releases have been internationally acclaimed, winning a few awards each. Although only released five months ago, Izibongo has been nominated in the Metro Awards for Best Jazz Album. While he equally loves all his albums and the awards he has won, he said the award that stands out is the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Award for Music Composition for his sixth album, Music from My People, released in 2022. The award was presented by the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, and it is research-based, honouring works that have had a significant contribution to the humanities and social sciences field.

To create Izibongo, Mashiloane selected artists that he felt would be able to convey the underlying album’s theme of gratefulness.

“[For] each contributing musician on this album – more than their playing, I looked at their spirit and energy as well as how we received each other. In the studio, the energy was positive, and the music just took over and gave us the direction,” he said.

Some of the musicians he worked with on the album include veteran percussionist, Tlale Makhene, Daliso Ndlazi on double bass, Kagiso Ramella on alto saxophone, and Sisonke Xanti on tenor saxophone.

Music has taken Mashiloane all over the world to play and give lectures. In a few months, he will be jetting off to Switzerland and the University of Luanda in Angola to give talks. He is already working on his next project, but when he is not in the studio or lecture room, he likes to read and write. He also likes working at the gym as he says that is where creative thoughts come out.

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