The Jazz Disciple

When we first heard pianist, composer, healer, and bandleader Nduduzo Makhathini’s Blue Note debut, 2020’s Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworld, our initial impression was mainly a South African variation on the sound of John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner. While those giants remain two of Makhathini’s most important mentors, the pianist’s sound continues to evolve on this, his fourth Blue Note release, the 2-LP The Myth We Choose, a major leap forward, as he blends electronics and opts for vocals on many tracks. His pianism is also nimble, fluid, and sensitive here compared with his previous Tyner-like outings. The spirituality, of course, remains behind a rather unique philosophy. Makhathini believes that songs are vital to a culture’s myth-making and are important to how future generations perceive history. He is a healer, after all, and approaches his performances and recordings as rituals. Sound functions as both invocation and response. The past, present, and future are held simultaneously. glidemagazine.com/327134/on-…