Sabu and Matimba

SABU AND THE MATIMBA PROJECT BIOGRAPHY
After 17 YEARS of recording,performing and touring the world, Matimba Frontman SAbu
Jiyana has made it his personal mission to take his audience on a journey through the
African continent through a sound he has coined as “The Pan-African Sound”
Jiyana describes it simply as “ The true display of what African Leadership should look like
in the 21st century”
Sabu started the ensemble in 2017 just after completing his Postgraduate Studies at the
prestigious University of Cape Town.It had become painfully clear through his studies that
traditional African elements and sounds were mostly pushed to the background whilst
favouring foreign ideas, concepts and instrumentation took centre stage.He wanted to
encourage pride in our own, and so using the analogy that when one is in Rome, they do as
the Romans do... when one is in Africa, surely it shouldn’t be about chasing foreigners from
our shores, but rather educating them on our ways and our colourful cultures that result in
a melting pot of colourful musicality….Afterall, isn’t that what Pan Africanism is all about?
Matimba has an eclectic sound, influenced by old African Practices,modern African
practices ,old folk songs, church songs and also coloured with the culture of a very different
21ST Century Africa and the current affairs and tribulations faced these days in the beloved
continent and indeed the world at large.Matimba uses instruments such as the mbira
(Zimbabwe) , Nyungue nyungue (Mozambique), Akadinda (Uganda) ,uHadi (South Africa)
,the talking drum (West Africa) , Just to name a few.All this accompanied by bass guitar,
piano and the wetsrn drum kit.Their brand of musicality accommodates both young and
old, with each performance serving as a refresher course of sorts on these long forgotten
instruments and their uses and origins.THe band performs as a duet all the way to a 12
Piece ensemble.Matimba also offers workshops for corporate and masterclasses can also
be booked via their booking email below.
Notable performances to date:
ZABALAZA FESTIVAL GUESTS (2017-2020)
ROCKING THE DAISIES (2017)
HOUT BAY HARBOUR(2018)
FESTIVAL OF IDEAS(2018)
VOORKAMER FESTIVAL (2018)