Sifiso Cele

BIO

Vusi Mkhize is a well-travelled veteran lead guitarist and a vocalist from South Africa.

When looking at Vusi Mkhize’s history one is not surprised that he turned out to be great in guitar playing and music in general. He hails from the place called Ntshongweni, just outside of Hammarsdale in the province of KwaZulu Natal. Vusi Mkhize was blessed to have the South African great musicians for inspiration at his door step. It was at his area where he got to see the likes of Themba Nzuza; Duza Mthethwa; David Masondo from the Soul Brothers group and many others. Watching the bands rehearse at Bra Themba Nzuza’s place, he fell in love with the guitar and then he decided to ask Bra Themba Nzuza to teach him this instrument.

After completing his matric he had to leave home to look for greener pastures because now the musicians like The Soul Brothers had already moved to Johannesburg. He moved to Umlazi to join Afro Praises Gospel group. The group disbanded which forced him to move down to the South Coast where he teamed up with a gentleman called Maveshe to form a band. That band also split, he then joined a group called Thatha from Clermont and it also fizzled out after sometime. This experience prompted him to start a band that he vowed to
himself that it would not fall into the same trap like other bands but it would continue forever. The band was called Sakhula and he started it in 1995.

Sakhula had such a great streak performing in many venues in and around Durban. It was only in 1998 where their years of preparation were met with a lifetime opportunity while performing at The BAT Centre for tourists. They were then selected to go to China as part of the South African Airways entourage as they were going there to launch a new route for the airline company. They spent 3 weeks in China performing in many places during the day and worked as a resident band every night at the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hotel in Hong Kong. This news scored them many bookings when they returned to the country and every promoter wanted to have them on their line-up.

EDUCATION; SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Khabazela, as he is affectionately known among musicians, decided to go acquire formal education. With the assistance of brilliant
guitarist, Bheki Khoza, Vusi went to Johannesburg to study at the same Institution where Bheki Khoza was a lecturer.

• Khabazela holds an N2 Level Certificate in Jazz and Popular Music from the Central
Johannesburg College, which he did in 2004
• He has also obtained a Certificate in Facilitation
• He has worked on various projects as Band leader; Lead Guitarist; Singer; Song-
writer; Lyricist; Composer; Song-arranger and/ or Producer

HIGH PROFILE PERFORMANCES
He has performed for heads of state, dignitaries and various esteemed guests and his high
profile performances include:
• Performing for President Bill Clinton from the United States of America
• Performing for President Nelson R. Mandela from South Africa
• South African Airways route launch in China
• X111 International AIDS Day in ICC Durban

VENUES AND EVENTS
He boasts a number of international events and venues that he has thus far performed at.
These include:
• InterContinental Grand Stanford
Hotel in Hong Kong, China
• Mandarin Oriental Hotel in China
• Hong Kong Football Club Stadium in China
• Standard Bank Jazz Festival
• Splashy Fen Festival
• Awesome Africa Festival
• PostNet Festival
• Rustlers World Music Festival
• Jazz Festival in the Park
• BAT Centre Jazz Festival
• The Playhouse Company
• Durban Jazz Festival
• Khabza De Khabza Art Centre
• Ayishe World Music Festival
• Articulate Africa
• SABC Crown Gospel Awards
• 6th Indaba Cultural Evening at The
BAT Centre
• Ethembeni 150th Anniversary
Celebration in Pinetown

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
He has worked with a number of artists at all levels. The artists that he has collaborated
with and are all internationally acclaimed include:
• 2003; Collaborated with Nicholai Kotei Djanie, a djembe player from Ghana
• 2003; Collaborated with Yao Atsu, a player of African Drums/ Djembe from Ghana
• 2002; Collaborated with Knut Reiersrud, a guitarist from Norway
• 2002; Collaborated with Javid Asvari Rad, a Santur player from Iran
• 2001; Collaborated with Samite Mulando from Uganda/ USA
• Ray Phiri from South Africa
• Oliver Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe
The list of artists that he has worked with has the following musicians:
• Deborah Fraser
• Afro Tenors
• Gloria Bosman
• Ray Phiri
• Oliver Mtukudzi
• Deborah Fraser
• Afro Tenors.

DISCOGRAPHY
He has recorded the following works under his name:
• Amathongo, released in 2012
• Shona Malanga, yet to be released

ADVOCACY AND PURPOSE
Vusi Mkhize has found his purpose in life to be ensuring that art education reaches to the
previously disadvantaged communities. It is thus not surprising that he has founded and he
leads the following projects:
• Khabza De Khabza art Centre which opened its doors in 2017. Here, Khabazela
teaches music along other facilitators, to youth from underprivileged backgrounds.
This platform has allowed him to not only share his musical skill with the learners but
to also create job opportunities for the facilitators and ancillary staff at the centre.
• Afro Orchestra which was launched in 2022. It is in this orchestra that Vusi Mkhize
has musicians from all walks of life to come together and share knowledge and skill.
This is yet another one of his initiatives aimed at creating job opportunities for
musicians.

CONTACTS
Management Company: Anduba Concepts
Person: Sifiso Cele
Number: 082 681 2739
Email Address: [email protected]
Facebook: Vusi Mkhize