Port Elizabeth band Sounds of Umle and East London’s own SoulBiJazz will join music instruments for a night of soulful infusions at the Velvet Lounge in East London this Friday.
SoulBiJazz was formed in 2013 by members Odwa Nokwali, Bali Ntunja and Yanga Ziwele.
Since its formation, the band has performed at various events around the city and also made their debut at the Buffalo City Metro festival carnival in King William’s Town.
Ntunja and Nokwali were both solo artists with experience in choral music and singing in church.
Nokwali is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, where he honed his singing skills in an acappella group.
The two met Ziwele at underground music sessions they attended, and decided to form a group.
Ziwele also has a choral music background and was a member of the Walter Sisulu University choir.
SoulBiJazz described their music as ‘healing and organic to the soul’.
Speaking with the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Nokwali said the show was the group’s way of reminding people that they were still together and going strong.
“Over the years we’ve all pursued solo careers but we are still together as a group and have been working on new music,” he said.
Nokwali was one of two Eastern Cape singers who won the first Eastern Cape Music Talent Search in 2016. The other winner of the Eastern Cape Audio Visual Centre (ECAVC) competition was Qhawekazi Giyose, and the two got to split the main R20000 prize.
Another prize was to get an opportunity to record their albums at the ECAVC Records label.
“I have not recorded my album yet, they said they were experiencing some problems, I don’t know what’s happening,” he said.
Nokwali said the group’s sound had matured over the years.
“As much as we are still the same old SoulBiJazz, our sound has grown and I think it is better now than it has ever been,” he said, adding that they would be performing a mixture of their old and new songs.
“There is new material that we have been working on and we hope to release a single soon,” he said.
Tickets for the event cost R100 and will be available at the door. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
SoulBiJazz to share latest vibes with Sounds of Umle
SoulBiJazz was formed in 2013 by members Odwa Nokwali, Bali Ntunja and Yanga Ziwele.
Since its formation, the band has performed at various events around the city and also made their debut at the Buffalo City Metro festival carnival in King William’s Town.
Ntunja and Nokwali were both solo artists with experience in choral music and singing in church.
Nokwali is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, where he honed his singing skills in an acappella group.
The two met Ziwele at underground music sessions they attended, and decided to form a group.
Ziwele also has a choral music background and was a member of the Walter Sisulu University choir.
SoulBiJazz described their music as ‘healing and organic to the soul’.
Speaking with the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Nokwali said the show was the group’s way of reminding people that they were still together and going strong.
“Over the years we’ve all pursued solo careers but we are still together as a group and have been working on new music,” he said.
Nokwali was one of two Eastern Cape singers who won the first Eastern Cape Music Talent Search in 2016. The other winner of the Eastern Cape Audio Visual Centre (ECAVC) competition was Qhawekazi Giyose, and the two got to split the main R20000 prize.
Another prize was to get an opportunity to record their albums at the ECAVC Records label.
“I have not recorded my album yet, they said they were experiencing some problems, I don’t know what’s happening,” he said.
Nokwali said the group’s sound had matured over the years.
“As much as we are still the same old SoulBiJazz, our sound has grown and I think it is better now than it has ever been,” he said, adding that they would be performing a mixture of their old and new songs.
“There is new material that we have been working on and we hope to release a single soon,” he said.
Tickets for the event cost R100 and will be available at the door. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
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