Bokani Dyer pays a visit to UCLA and the Global Jazz Studies Department to present a workshop and connect with young musicians. The event will be a multi-media presentation looking into a distinct dialect of the jazz language to familiarise audiences with the rich tradition of the music, its leading figures, the social contexts and currents that shaped the sound. Students are encouraged to bring along their instruments to play some South African jazz songs.
About Bokani:
Bokani Dyer is an acclaimed pianist, composer, and bandleader and has stood as one of the most formidable and creative talents in South Africa. In the exploration of the musical tradition, and the music’s present role in culture and society, he has been a significant force of his generation asking and diving deeply into the complex question of identity in South Africa. Award-winning composer, hailed as the future of South African Jazz when he won the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year right at the outset of his career in 2011, keeps garnering accolades worldwide. His trio album Neo Native won the SAMA award for best jazz album in 2019.
In his musical endeavors, he finds new and innovative means to embrace traditions as examples to guide and build a more equitable and empathetic future. His unique piano-playing style expresses that notion, while in his musical concepts he embraces the contemporary musical world in a highly creative way. His most recent recorded offering is Radio Sechaba (Brownswood, 2023), in which he merges many of his musical influences, and it showcases his exploration of vocal and lyrical expression.
…one of the leading musical voices of his generation in South Africa (…) Bokani Dyer knows no bounds, and he continues to serve as a beacon of creativity, hope and history unfolding. Dan Bilavsky, All About Jazz
Bokani is a great respecter of the tradition (…) and his broad two-handed approach on Fanfare recalls McCoy Tyner and another Tyner disciple, the late, lamented Bheki Mseleku. (…) Peter Bakon, thejazzbreakfast.com
This rising star on the South African scene and international stage merges modernistic language with traditional streams with this malleable trio, creating a unique signature that's both indebted to his homeland's history and free of clichés. Dan Bilavsky, All About Jazz