Jazz legends line up with young trailblazers for Diamond City Jazz Festival

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Mabuse, a pioneer of South African jazz, is the festival director and continues to inspire generations with classics like Burn Out. Mrubata blends Cape jazz traditions with modern sounds, while Mapefane’s soulful saxophone and deep Sesotho jazz roots add richness to the mix. Dyer, a master saxophonist and flautist, rounds out the lineup with his signature versatility.

I spoke to Mpumi Dhlamini mid-rehearsals about what jazz lovers can look forward to from his performance, only to discover that he’s also involved behind the scenes in production.

Dhlamini is a self-taught musician who has an insatiable thirst for knowledge and understanding of whatever piques his interest. He plays an innumerable amount of instruments and is now a sought-after music producer, film scorer and composer.

How did it all start? He was looking for a second instrument to take him through to the end of high school studies at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg.

Voice was one, he refused to play recorder because girls wouldn’t take him seriously, and he was too late to learn enough piano to pass the year.

Knowing he would fail, not having that second instrument, he took the rest of that year to learn piano faster than the formal curriculum allowed.

“I worked hard. I didn’t have a piano at home, so I practised at school. I co-wrote the school song and released my first album three years after starting piano at 17. Jumping to Grade 7 piano in two years seemed impossible, but I went straight to Grade 8 and released an album a year later.”

Now, nearly two decades later, Dhlamini is a celebrated multi-instrumentalist and award-winning producer. A self-proclaimed outlier in jazz, he’s never followed the conventional path. His style is a hybrid of digital and analog, often featuring over 40 instruments and 100 vocals in a single song. His skills as a sound engineer allow him full creative control.

His career follows a three-year cycle: performing, producing, directing for TV, and film scoring. His credits include Lira’s award-winning Celebration DVD, albums for Lulu Dikana, Wanda Baloy, Brian Temba, and Sphelelo Mazibuko. He has also composed for film, animation, and even the Zulu-dubbed SpongeBob SquarePants.

You can experience his music live at the Diamond City Jazz Festival later this month. For the first time in his 18-year career, he will perform his album exactly as recorded.

“Rehearsal time and musician availability have always been challenges. My music has a million sections, and it’s tough for players to remember every part. This time, we started prepping two months in advance, which I’ve never done. Finally, my music will be performed the way it was meant to be heard.”

Beyond performances, the festival offers mentorship sessions, allowing emerging artists to engage with industry legends, refine their techniques, and deepen their understanding of jazz’s cultural significance. This initiative reflects the festival’s mission to nurture new talent, honour musical heritage, and connect generations through jazz.

The festival takes place at Bojanala Waterfront in Botswana on 29 March 2025. Tickets available online.