Ubunye
Ubunye at The Bear Club, Luton
Ubunye £16.50
View ticketsOfficial ticket link provided by the event organiser or venue (Ents24 doesn't earn anything from this)
About the show
Firm favourites at The Bear, Ubunye is a vibrant Afro jazz band featuring powerful vocalists from South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region, combined with a dynamic rhythm section from Leeds.
The exciting new lineup consists of keyboard player and lead songwriter David Evans, renowned jazz drummer Steve Hanley, distinguished musicians Nik Svarc and Sam Dutton-Taylor on guitar and bass, respectively, as well as singers Xolani Mbatha and Nokuthula Zondi, who, as a trio with David on backing vocals, perfectly complement each other and provide a robust sonic force that is as soulful as it is compelling.
Together, they create a unique blend of contemporary jazz, Afropop, and traditional ‘Isigqui’ Zulu music. This inspirational fusion encapsulates the soul of South Africa and is swiftly winning the band a legion of fans across the UK and beyond.
They have headlined at the Manchester and Lancaster jazz festivals and performed a sellout show at Soho’s Pizza Express Jazz Club. They also picked up a Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Ensemble in 2023.
Featuring - Ubunye
Ubunye (‘one-ness’) unites singers hailing from KwaZulu Natal in South Africa with gospel and R’n’B musicians from Yorkshire, in an inspirational blend of jazz, Isigqi (traditional Zulu music) and Afro-pop. High energy African beats and traditional sounds morph into more contemporary African musical styles.
Ubunye represents Leeds pianist Dave Evans’ long-lasting interest in South Africa and its music. He combines his jazz quartet with a trio of close harmony vocalists (South Africans from the Huddersfield area).