He is one of the driving forces on the vibrant South-African jazz scene. As a trombone player who also plays keyboard, Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O allows his fellow musicians a lot of space on his debut album UMALDI. He knows most of them from jam sessions in Soweto. Jiyane’s album is the result of life-changing events. He gained a daughter, lost a band member, and had to say goodbye to his mentor Johnny Mekoa, one of South Africa’s jazz greats. Yet the album, that was recorded in two days in Johannesburg, has a certain light touch and a guardedness at the same time. At various moments, Jiyane bridges the gap between South African and American jazz, with a nod to Herbie Hancock. He also succeeds in finding the perfect balance between his strong ideas and having an open mind to everything and everyone around him.
