Ep. 70-Seeing the bandstand as a place for ritual-my conversation with Nduduzo Makhathini

In this episode, musician Nduduzo Makhathini and I talk extensively about African spirituality and cosmology and their influence on his creative process. We discuss the effects of apartheid in South Africa and what it was like for him to grow up in racialized townships. American jazz was an early inspiration; we touch on the legends—including Andrew Hill, McCoy Tyner, Don Pullen, Alice Coltrane, and Randy Weston—who continue to inspire him today. Nduduzo delves into how he approaches live performance and why it's important to him to incorporate history, culture, ritual, and chanting in his shows. Lastly, he shares what it's like being signed to the iconic Blue Note label.