True Story

Described by Zimbabwean journalist Liam Brickhill as “a new star in the southern sky,” and by his legendary mentor, Bra Johnny Mekoa, as “the future Jonas Gwangwa,” Malcolm Jiyane is a cornerstone of the contemporary South African Jazz scene. From his teenage years, it was under Mekoa’s tutelage that Jiyane developed his prodigious talents into the multi-instrumentalist that he is today. What Theon Cross is to the tuba, Malcolm is to the trombone, although his ability to embody musical production extends far beyond one instrument. His work thus far constitutes, amongst other works, film score (which he composed as a teenager), and debut album UMDALI (meaning ‘creator’ in Zulu), which was received to universal acclaim, including a 5-star review (and Global Album Of The Month nod) from The Guardian. In 2024, Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O (Tree-O is the name of his band), returns with his sophomore album True Story, an exploration of the current state of the rainbow nation through a series of songs inspired by real people and their stories.