South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makthathini may claim to capture the spirit of NTU, but in reality he’s tapped into the soul of Impulse! era recordings circa Crescent or Africa/Brass by John Coltrane. With fellow young South Africans Linda Sikhakhane/sax, Robin FassieKock/tp, Dylan Tabisher/vib, Stephen de Souza/b, Gontse Makhene/perc and Dane Paris/dr, Makhathini creates a mix of traditional African moods and modern modal, percolating like a Serengeti migration on the dark “Unonkanuamba” and galloping on the pulsating “Mathonga”. Jaleel Shaw brings a passionate Coltranesque tenor sax that sears and crires on the earthy “Emililweni” , Anna Midauer’s voice is luscious and sensuous, as she slinks through the dark mood of “Re-Amathambo” and Omagugu sings with a husky lilt around a pungent Kock on “Mama”. There are some local languages spoken around Makhathini’s dark blue piano on “Nyoni Le?” and some defiant shouting on “Omnyama” , while rich chants encapsulate the fiery modal moods on ”Senze’ Nina?”.
While on one hand, the sound is familiar to those who collect tenor albums from the Impulse! label, but with the mix of voices, tones and harmonies from the heart of Africa, new lands are discovered.