Kyle Shepherd

BIO

Kyle Shepherd, one of South Africa’s leading progressive jazz pianists and composers of his generation, is fast gaining international recognition for his distinctive compositional style and performances, often rooted in the sounds of the Cape, where he grew up. He also plays the saxophone and Xaru (traditional mouth-bow). He has released three albums to date: 'fineART', (2008), 'A Portrait Of Home' (2010) and 'South African History !X' (2012), all of which were nominated for a Samas.

In September 2013 he toured Europe, performing his latest project, Xamissa, Place of Sweet Waters, to critical acclaim at the Festival d’Automne à Paris (Paris Autumn Festival), which commissioned the project. Apart from South Africa, Shepherd has also done solo, trio and quartet performances at clubs and festivals all over Europe and southern Africa, as well as Japan, Malaysia and China. He has worked with local stars like the late Zim Ngqawana, Louis Moholo, Robbie Jansen and Errol Dyers, among others.