Vuma Levin

BIO

Vuma Levin is an artist from South Africa.

Levin graduated from Tswane University of Technology with a National Diploma in jazz at the age of 18. He also received music lessons from the South African jazz guitarist Johnny Fourie. Levin was awarded the Best Guitarist Award in 2008. In 2009, he joined the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band as a guitarist which culminated in a performance at the Grahamstown Jazz Festival and later at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival. Levin went on to attend the prestigious Conservatorium Van Amsterdam where he graduated and earned a Non-EU Talent Scholarship to finance his masters studies.

In 2014, he came second at the National Leg of the Keep an Eye Jazz Awards. Levin went on to win a third prize for the most original band in the international leg of the Keep an Eye Jazz Awards, which featured bands from New York, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Vienna and Philadelphia. In 2014, he was nominated at the Dutch Eindwerk Prijs and emerged ninth finalist. In 2015, he was selected as a finalist in the Dutch Keep an Eye: The Records awards. In 2016, Levin won the national leg of the Keep an eye Jazz awards and came third at the international leg, featuring bands from Sienna, Boston, New York, Barcelona and Amsterdam. 
 
Levin has performed with top musicians in South Africa and abroad including: Benjamin Herman (Netherlands), Maarten Hogenhuis (Netherlands), Mark Schilders (Netherlands), Banz Oester (SWI), Domenic Landolf (SWI), Matthias Spillman (SWI), Marc Mean (SWI), Marcus Wyatt, Feya Faku and many others.

He has performed at such festivals as North Sea Jazz Festival (NED), Montreux Jazz Festival (SWI), Jazz in Duketown (NED), Amersfoort Jazz Festival (NED), Grachtenfestival (NED), Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Grahamstown Jazz Festival, More Jazz Series(Mozambique, Maputo), Budapest Palace of the Arts (HUN), The Bimhuis(NED), Lantaren Venster (NED), The Bird's Eye(SWI), AMR (SWI), Gambrinus (SWI), The Orbit, De Tor (Enschede, Netherlands), The Amsterdam Jazz Festival (Amsterdam, Netherlands)and others. 

In the press:

“Vuma Levin is destined to be one of South Africa’s greatest musicians. The resulting music is a sonic journey through Levin’s hopes and fears, both as a musician and a South African. These are songs that are trying to soundtrack what it’s like to be displaced at home and abroad. It’s meditative and melancholic, and anchored by his guitar strings,” Mail and Guardian in June, 2015.

“South African guitarist and composer Vuma Levin has been receiving significant accolades in local and international circles, and it’s easy to see why. A thoughtful, intelligent improviser and bandleader, Levin is also a highly thought-provoking composer, one intent on exploring the music’s role in commenting on and shaping societal discourse,” All About Jazz – May, 2018.

“How Vuma Levin became a fan favorite in the African Jazz community,” CNN Africa – September, 2017.

“Vuma Levin Quintet sounds playful because of the usually cheerful melodies. Underneath the five put a finely thought out collection of rhythmic motifs that fit nicely together. It is refreshing to hear how guitarist Levin combines the African influences in his music with guitar sounds that you would not expect in South African music. It's also good that the guitarist regularly drops himself into the background. Immediately the guitarist arouses sympathy by thanking the audience after just one song for their choice to come to his concert,” Volkskrant - 15 July, 2018.

“He’s an eclectically cutting edge, aesthetically refreshing new addition to the contemporary African jazz scene. He’s the personification of these exciting times for Africa and Africans around the globe. Watch out Kamasi Washington, Vuma Levin’s in the building,” Op-Ed: The New Wave of South Africa Jazz – Afro Punk – 24 Feb 2016.

“The quintet sounds like a solid whole despite the often complex music. Levin has its very own clear guitar sound that sometimes sounds rocky without being rock, rather jazz. The speeches are produced via samples. Xavi Torres ’piano playing is at times phenomenal. You can safely say that this is new South African jazz," NRC, March 2018.

"Exciting and listening, lyrical and open, with here and there African elements, Levin proves himself as a special instrumentalist, band leader and composer, who is very successful internationally," Written in Music - March 2018.