Kabelo Boy Mokhatla

Kabelo Boy Mokhatla, who was born in Tembisa, began his musical journey at the Moses Molelekwa Arts Foundation. He is a multi-talented artist, excelling as a drummer, composer, arranger, and performer.

Currently, Kabelo is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Jazz Percussion at the Manhattan School of Music. In 2020-2021, he was awarded the Hugh Masekela Heritage Scholarship, which enabled him to study under the guidance of Kendrick Scott, a highly respected American jazz drummer, educator, bandleader, and composer.

Under the tutelage of Kendrick Scott, John Riley, and Jaleel Shaw, Kabelo has been exposed to various aspects and disciplines of drumming, leading to significant growth in his musical and spiritual journey. He considers his mentors to be his musical and spiritual sense(s), who have challenged him in ways he had never experienced before, resulting in a deeper connection with the music.

Kabelo has had the opportunity to collaborate with many highly respected local and international musicians and has performed on various prestigious stages, including the Northern Cadence International Jazz Series, Dizzy's Jazz Club, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, Jazz Education Network, Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival, Imbokodo Jazz Festival, Ekurhuleni Jazz Jamboree, and Jazz Jol, among others.

He has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Nduduzo Makhathini (RSA), John Beasley (US), Ernest Dawkins (US), Khaya Mahlangu (RSA), Bheki Khoza (RSA), Martin Zenker (German), Salim Washington (US/SA), and Ingrid Jensen (Canada/US), to name a few.

In 2019 and 2022, Kabelo was selected to be part of the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band, which is conducted by accomplished musicians such as Afrika Mkhize (2019) and Mandla Mlangeni (2022), showcasing his exceptional talent as a jazz percussionist.

Kabelo has recorded his debut album, entitled "The Key To Authenticity," which was nominated under 4 Categories by the Mzantsi Jazz Awards. The project is based on the idea that when individuals are honest and transparent about their thoughts, feelings, and actions, they can form deeper connections with others, build trust, stay true to their art and themselves, and develop more meaningful relationships. Since the release of the project, he has had the opportunity to tour the album in different parts of South Africa and The United States. One of the critics stated that “The Key to Authenticity has a distinctive identity of its own that’ll hit you from the first notes. And alongside that, it also has the warm sound of home.” Since the album’s release, it has been well-received by many, and has positively affected lives, and inspired many.