Cape Town, South Africa – One of South Africa’s most exciting jazz exports, Lumanyano Mzi, returns home this July for a powerful two-city tour in celebration of his new album Ithemba Elitsha – A New Hope, which will be released on 4 July.
A Berklee College of Music graduate, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer, Mzi has been living and working between Boston and New York City for the past five years, carving out a global reputation for musical brilliance rooted in resilience, spirituality, and social justice. Ithemba Elitsha is his boldest statement yet, and the first solo album and third as a bandleader, composer and producer. It is a deeply personal and richly layered body of work that fuses jazz, African rhythms, reggae and soul, anchored by a transcendent sense of hope.
The album is not only a sonic journey, but also a narrative of Mzi’s life – from his early days in Delft, Cape Town, first sitting behind the drums at the age of six, to touring with musical icons before finishing high school, to co-founding the award-winning, The Unity Band, and finally to pursuing global excellence on the world stage. This project is a tribute to community, faith, and the power of dreams.
Joining him on tour are his formidable international collaborators:
- Simon Manana – SA-born saxophonist, now based in the USA
- Jean Strauss – SA-born saxophonist, also USA-based
- Ciara Moser – bassist, Dublin-born and Vienna-raised, currently in the USA
- Kevin Harris – acclaimed American pianist
- Isaac Romagosa – Spain-born drummer and percussionist based in the USA.
Together, this multinational ensemble breathes life into a shared vision of global harmony and spiritual upliftment – resonating deeply with the meaning of Mzi’s own name: Lumanyano meaning ‘Unity’.
Tour Dates:
- 10 July – Youngblood Gallery, Cape Town with special guests, Thandeka Dladla & Namisa Mdlalose
- 12 July – Untitled Basement, Johannesburg, with special guest, Spha Mdlalose
This limited tour offers South African audiences a rare opportunity to experience a world-class performance, led by one of their own, before the ensemble returns to international stages.
“This album is for the dreamers,” says Lumanyano. “It’s a beacon of new hope – for South Africa, for the world. I want people to leave these shows feeling inspired, moved, and reminded that beauty can still be made from uncertainty.”
Ithemba Elitsha – A New Hope – the album, releases globally on 4 July with a single, Lioness released on 6 June. This is followed by the release of Child of ’76 on 13 June in time for South Africa’s Youth Day on the 16th. It is a musical reflection of defiance, courage, and imagination and a poignant reminder of where the country has come from, and how far it has to go.