AfricArise

02/28/2025

"Thembi Dunjana makes her Bay Area debut with a solo recital on March 2 at Oakland’s Piedmont Piano Company. Earlier that same day, she presents a workshop on songwriting with South African jazz harmony at Berkeley’s California Jazz Conservatory. And on March 3, she holds a community event at the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music that includes conversation and performance."

A wonderful write up from Andrew Gilbert about upcoming Bay Area dates for Thembi Dunjana and for Bokani Dyer in March! See you there!

Pianists Thembi Dunjana and Bokani Dyer, along with pop sensation Thandiswa Mazwai, are set to land in the Bay Area soon.

02/25/2025

Thembi Dunjana and her quintet at soundcheck for tonight's show at Dizzy's Club! We can't wait.

02/19/2025

We are so excited that two AfricArise artists are playing Dizzy's Club next week! Join the incredible pianist Thembi Dunjana for her long-awaited return to NYC on Tuesday, February 25, and join vocalist Melanie A. Scholtz for her CD release of her forthcoming project "Sweet Nancy" on February 26! Links below

02/07/2025

New Orleans and Cape Town unite for an incredible new take on Nancy Wilson's songbook! Pre-orders are now open for "Sweet Nancy," the incredible new album from Melanie Scholtz!

12/17/2024

"It took a little while for the world to notice, but South Africa has produced a generation of brilliant jazz musicians...creating a truly African jazz that at its best will leave you with your mouth hanging open. Pianist Thembi Dunjana salutes her homeland with a two-horn quintet on God Bless iKapa. God Bless Mzantsi. (the isiXhosa words for Cape Town and South Africa, respectively), swinging in a way that blends hard bop and hip-hop." - Phil Freeman, Stereogum

Thank you, Stereogum, for including us on the year-end list for Best of 2024!

11/14/2024

"Ropeadope, a record label and much more, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. They’ve put a lot of great music into the world, most notably the work of trumpeter Chief Adjuah (fka Christian Scott) but also, more recently, their new AfricArise imprint, which has already given us killer albums by Aaron Rimbui, Thembi Dunjana, and others."

Thanks to Phil Freeman at Burning Ambulance for the kind words! We are so proud of our relationship with Ropeadope

Should have been 37, but...anyway

11/02/2024

Steve Dyer's beautiful "Enhlizweni: Song Stories from My Heatland" just won as Best Jazz Album at the 2024 South African Music Awards (SAMAs)! We are so excited for Steve, and this very deserved win for him!

Make sure you dive into this modern classic, available on AfricArise!

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11/02/2024

AfricArise is so excited! Steve Dyer's brilliant album "Enhlizweni: Song Stories from My Heartland" just won at the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) for Best Jazz album!!!

Congratulations Best Jazz Album

10/31/2024

"Imani means “faith” in Swahili, and the whole album is an evocation of everything about music and in his life that sustained him on his long road to recovery, and then to here."

Thanks to Gwen Ansell for the amazing write-up!

https://sisgwenjazz.wordpress.com/

10/31/2024

We are always honored for the chance to collaborate with Mandla Mlangeni!

10/29/2024

Don't miss out on this truly extraordinary album!

Fab to see Aaron Rimbui's album Imani being noticed and included in playlists! Check this one out - Africa'Jazznation on Apple Music Notably, the album is recorded in Dolby Atmos system - listen to find out, it sounds amazing!
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/africajazznation/pl.6505623a06c44169b2f4b267be0dd41f
Many thanks to the album distributor Symphonic Distribution for making the album widely known! Ropeadope AfricArise