EXILED, Ndlela Music Company (2018)

With the release of her highly acclaimed debut album “The Offering“ (2014), Thandi did well to both introduce and establish herself as an important contributor to modern South African Jazz.

“2018’s Standard Bank Young Artist for jazz Thandi Ntuli promised that her sophomore release was going to be “risky and experimental”. Exiled certainly is—and the results are delightfully surprising. The album finds the Soshanguve-born jazz pianist and bandleader further establishing herself as a cerebral composer, modern musician and intuitive vocalist who cannot be ignored. This is definitely music written to better showcase those vocals too, compared to her first album, and it’s shown to brilliantly atmospheric effect in “What’s Left?”, an elegantly understated ballad that ponders broken hearts and dreams. Ntuli’s joined on Exiled by a few familiar faces—including legendary drummer Tlale Makhene (“Abyssinia”) and performance poet Lebo Mashile (“The Void”), making this exploration of isolation richly multi-layered and deeply rewarding.” - Apple Music

Recorded at Downtown music hub, Johannesburg.

Released February 1, 2018

Credits:

All songs written, arranged & produced by Thandi Ntuli except ‘Cosmic Light (Benji’s Meditation)’ arranged and produced by Benjamin Jephta. Published by Ndlela Music Company.

Recording Engineer & Editing: Gavan Ekhart (Soul Fire Studios)
Additional Engineers: Kholofelo Sewela (Personality Studios), Andrew Orkin.
Assistant Engineers: Oyama Songo (Downtown Music Hub)
Studio Assistant: Ruby Friedman
Mixed by Clinton McCreery & Toni Economides.
Mastered by Neil Pickles

Thandi Ntuli - Piano, Keyboards, Production, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Spoken Word (track 1) //
Sphelelo Mazibuko - Live Drums // Keenan Ahrends - Guitar // Spha Mdlalose - Backing Vocals //
Benjamin Jephta - Double Bass, Electric Bass // Marcus Wyatt - Trumpet, Flugel Horn //
Mthunzi Mvubu - Flute, Alto Saxophone // Justin Sasman - Trombone // Sisonke Xonti - Tenor Saxophone (tracks 2, 5, 8, 13,15) //
Linda Sikhakhane - Tenor Saxophone (tracks 1, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12) // Vuyo Sotashe - Vocals & Backing Vocals (track 9) // Kwelagobe Sekele - Additional Sounds (track 4) // Lebogang Mashile - Poetry, Spoken Word (track 8) // Tlale Makhene - Percussion (tracks 5,12).

Photography: Tseliso Monaheng (Nemesis Republik)
Cover Design: Mzwandile Buthelezi (Satta Design)
Styling: Sara Chitambo (iNaturelle)