Phone +27 71492 0605Adress 93 North Avenue, Bez Valley, 2094 E-mail bhekisisa456@yahoo.com Web www.soundsofyah.com

BHEKIKHOZA

Bhekisisa Khosa is the well-known left handed guitarist from Umlazi, Durban, South Africa. In 19 91 he received a Tal-ent Award and scholarship to study mu-sic in America. He returned in 1995 from studying at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, with the great Jackie Mc-Clean, on of the few living legends.

While in America, Bheki was resident with Larry Ridley’s jazz legacy playing the whole spectrum of African American music. The band was headed by Lar-ry Ridley himself, who played with Wes Montgomery, Sonny Rollin, Miles Davies, Horace Silver, Kenny Burell, George Ben-

son, Dexter Gordon and far too many other musicians great to mention. By the time Bheki left America he was already making a name for himself playing clubs like Blue Note, Saint Mark’s Zinno’s and Smalls, a famous club often referred to

as: The Mecca of Jazz” which has jam sessions every night to all hours. Khoza also played at the famous Shamberg au-ditorium in Harlem.

Some of the musicians he held the op-portunity to play with included Kenny Barron, Hilton Ruiz, Kirk Ligtsey, Cecil McBee, Virgil Jones, Charlces Davis and Steve Davis, who now Anarchy, a jam club for African music, in particular. Gigs stemming from the African connection included backing vocalist Floxy Bee from Nigeria and Thuli Dumakude, a singer from South Africa, of Mabatha Fame.

Prior to studying in America, Bheki played with the African Jazz Pioneers, Abie Cin-di, Sipho Gumede, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Rene McClean, Victor Ntoni, Mike Makhalemala, George Lee, and Berry Ra-chabane, among others. He also backed South Africa’s famous songbirds, Si-bongile Khumalo, Sophic Mgina, Dolly Rathebe, Abigail Kubheka, and Themi

Personal

Mtshani. During this time Bheki also had his own band Thayima, which played jazz and African music directly addressing the social conditions of the late 1980’s for this reason the band was never re-corded.Bheki musical influence are many. His grandmother played Jewish harp and harmonica, and enriched him with tradi-tion of Zulu music which he then found in Phuz Shukela, Kati Elimnyama and Ngane Ziyamfiva. He was also influenced by people at wedding, funerals, in the street and shebeens. Other influences include Philip Thabane, Alan Kwela, Ab-dulah American Influences-Wes Mon-togomery, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, George Benson and Charlie Parker in later which Bheki also picked up.

During his early years in Durban, Bheki learnt to play solo due to the lack of full time musicians to accompany him. In spite of this, he has wide experience and interest in small group and big band mu-sic alike.

Bheki recorded an album entitles “Asam-be” in 1995, which is often aired on Ra-dio Metro and Safm. The album is com-prised of original compositions, some of which used to be Shonilanga. Bheki also composed the African Jazz Pioneers hit “Sgaxa Mabhande”.

His recordings include guitar for Mike Makhalemela’s last “Searching”. Bheki

was musical director Sophiatown Docu-mentary, released in July 2003.

Bheki is musical director for the South Af-rican film production of “Drum”, a fictional account of the razing of Sophiatown. The film features a high profile international cast, a wide variety new musical produc-tion selections which defined the Sophia-town sound, and many of the surviving musicians who played in the bands of the time. The film is schedule for world premiere in the Spring of 2004.

Bheki is currently heading his own quar-let which focuses on his many original compositions, featuring drums, piano, bass, and guitar. He has released his de-but album “Getting to Heaven Alive” end of 2006.

Teaching Exp.

Damelin College 2004 Central Johannesburg College 1998 Alexandra Music Project (Visiting Professor) 1998University of Natal, Durban 1991 Funda Art Centre, Alexandra, Johannesburg 1987Alexandra Art Centre 1987Private Teacher 1987Wits University 1988 Dorkay House 1988

Songs of Life 2014Bheki Khoza, soon to be releasedChimurenga 2013Recorded and producedSongs and Stories of Africa 2008Gcina Mhlophe, SAMA best childrens ulbum, PANSALB awardYashi’nkani 2007Bongani Nkwanyana, recorded and producedUbuntu Barm 2007SiphokaziLove Movement on Bantu Biko Street 2006Simphiwe Danna, recorded and produced, won 4 SAMA awardsGetting to Heaven Alive 2006Bheki Khoza, SAMA Award best instrumental jazz albumFive Loaves and Two Fish 2004Nana MagagulaZabalaza 2004Thandiswa MazwaiDrum: Stories of Sophiatown 2003Feature Film, music directorSophiatown 2002Documentary, music directorWemntomnyama 2001Suthukazi ArosiAfrica Gold 1998Morris Goldberg

Summary CV

Guitar/

Bass GuitarPiano/

Keyboard Producer Composer Music Teacher Languages:

EnglishZuluHebrew

SKILLS

Asambe 1996Bheki KhozaSearching 1996Mike MakhalemelaGhost and the Darkness 1995SoundtrackInyakanya 1995Tu NokweThe Moon Knows 1995Steve Davis EnsembleIn African Eyes 1992Rene McClean QuinletEyes on Tomorrow 1991Miriam MakebaHand Around the Heart 1991Jenifer FergusonThe Storyteller 1991David HewittFriendly Basses 1989Bakithi KhumaloLakutshon’ Ilanga 1989Musical PlayStimela Sase Zola 1987Mbongeni NgemaCasa Conference 1986African Jazz PioneersPeace 1984Peace (Spho Gumede)

Phone +27 71492 0605Adress 93 North Avenue, Bez Valley, 2094 E-mail bhekisisa456@yahoo.com Web www.soundsofyah.com