It's safe to say he's had a career defining year. From here, there's nowhere to go but up.
When he stood on the stage at Kirstenbosch gardens in the pouring rain and told the hundreds of fans, who were wrapped in blankets and rain coats and had braved the freezing weather, that this year, sizobabonisa (we will show them). And uzobangena.
And he's been doing that with every show and private appearance, as he's zigzags across the country performing in most provinces.
It's not just his music that his fans are enamoured with, or his physical interpretation of the song Molo Sisi in every show, or even his heart wrenching recital of Mabaphile and the pain and healing that comes with nguMama, it's all of it put together.
Jazz musician Mandisi Dyantyis has created a place for himself in the industry and he owns it.
Mandisi is a musician, composer, arranger, and producer who specializes in jazz, western classical and African indigenous music.
He is both a skilled trumpeter and vocalist and his debut album Somandla (2019) is a timeless testimonial to this, and this offering also saw him nominated for the SAMA for best jazz album of the year.
Mandisi is highly respected in the music industry. He is also the director of the vaunted theatre company Isango Ensemble, which has performed around the world.
Emperors Palace in Kempton Park will see Mandisi bring a big band ensemble to the Theatre of Marcelus. An 18-piece jazz orchestra will be backing him, and he's excited for fans experience this.
He's already done it in Cape Town.
“I have spent a life in music and the last 20 years or so in the actual music industry. It has allowed to fulfil my intended vocation as a writer, performer and musician,” says the laid-back talent.
Read more | Chosi Chosi – Miss SA finalist Melissa Nayimuli ready to tell a story in documentary she directed
Mandisi says life is his muse and leveler, “whether it’s my faith, my challenges, my blessings my journey is like everyone’s, peaks and valleys, and everything in between”.
His show in Johannesburg has jazz lovers waiting in anticipation for what he might do. He has prepared extensively for this performance and says, “It will be a night filled with of all my favourite tunes, embellished with the rich harmonies and textures the Big Band offers.”
In his varsity years Mandisi played in big bands and spent many years in choirs and this is where his fascination with larger ensembles began, and it has stayed with him ever since.
Putting a performance of this magnitude together is a demanding task and requires attention to detail and ensuring more than just skill sets but the energies of everyone involved.
“You need to find a good arranger that you respect, who understands your music and is in sync with the intention of the music. You need to source great musicians that play and listen well as an ensemble who respect the music. These two things are vital for it to happen. Luckily, we have both. The rest is just logistics.”
He's excited about the constant evolution of local music.
“I think there is a lot of exciting music happening across multiple genres. Audiences are spoilt for choice and the standard seems to grow in certain styles.
“Because my music is not mainstream, its challenges are its greatest gift. My music is not pop, and mostly not supported by a somewhat fickle audience that follows trends and commits in a flavour of the month type way,” he says with confidence.
“I have an organic, loyal fanbase of people that firstly get me and secondly, are inspired by what I do, and most importantly, are willing to join and support me on a longer journey."
He believes this helps him to remind himself to write what he feels and stay committed to the lane he is in, “which of course will move in different directions over time. Ultimately, it will always be driven with the internal voice of Mandisi Dyantyis.”
He wants this upcoming performance to reveal the nuances in his work and present some of his familiar works in a new and refreshing way.
“It might expose a style and set up that they might not have indulged in before. If the audience can recognise the growth of a musician, and the importance of taking on a new project and challenge, and at the same time, be inspired by the new sounds and feel the energy of a larger ensemble, then all is not lost.”
