Celebrated trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Mandla Mlangeni returns as part of its esteemed Cape Town Jazz Greats Homecoming series, with two concerts on 29 and 30 August
This is a collaboration of the Cape Town Music Academy (CTMA) with Slow Life.
Mandla Mlangeni and his stellar band the Tune Recreation Committee will performed on Saturday 30 August at the iconic Axminster House in Muizenberg at 8pm
Another concert is scheduled to be held at the Youngblood Africa Gallery on Friday, 29 August, at 8pm.
Known for pushing the boundaries of South African jazz, Mlangeni’s originality and creative vision promise an unforgettable night of music.
The Ensemble
Mlangeni will be joined by an exceptional line-up of musicians, including: Yonela Mnana (Special Guest Pianist), Reza Khota (Guitarist), Nick Williams (Bassist), and Joshua Klein (Drummer).
A Night of Innovation
With a storied career marked by international performances and collaborations with jazz greats such as Mark Whitfield and Ronnie Burrage, Mlangeni’s live performance at Youngblood Africa Gallery on August 29th at 8pm is set to be a highlight of the city’s jazz calendar. His innovative approach to jazz has earned him numerous accolades, including the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz in 2019.
Mandla Mlangeni Biography:
Trumpet-player, composer and bandleader of exceptional originality and craft, Mandla Mlangeni has demonstrated his talent on many a local and international stage. He was recognised in 2019 as the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year for Jazz, one of SA’s highest accolades.
Mlangeni leads various creative and critically acclaimed projects. The Tune Recreation Committee made their debut appearance at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and then had their album ‘Voices of Our Vision’ listed as on the New York Times’ Best Albums for 2017. The Amandla Freedom Ensemble has released two albums including the SAMA nominated ‘Bhekisizwe’, named after Mlangeni’s activist and lawyer father who was assassinated by apartheid forces. Mlangeni leads the Swiss Birdsong Ensemble and has worked with renowned musicians like David Murray, Evan Parker, Feya Faku, Hugh Masekela, and Shabaka Hutchings.
Many of Mlangeni’s compositions are rooted deeply in a consciousness of social discourse, a sense of pride and a celebration of being black, being African. On stage though, Mlangeni has a vibrant energy, an infectious smile and an irrepressible sense of fun that has the audience with him from the first to the last note. His trumpet playing stretches from the wistful melancholia of rainy-day jazz, through to foot tapping, hip-swinging tunes that evoke the best of South African jazz, and onto musical experimentations that add dashes of influence from Balkan and Electro to Free Jazz.
WHAT: Mandla Mlangeni
WHERE & WHEN:  Youngblood Africa Gallery, Cape Town 29 August 2025 at 8pm | Axminster House, Muizenberg 30 August 2025 at 8pm
BOOKING & INFO: Luvuyo Kakaza T +27 (0)60 960 8935 | E luvuyo@ctma.co.za | VISITÂ
