Sean Sanby

Sean Sanby is a highly acclaimed bassist, composer and producer based in Cape Town, South Africa. With a remarkable career spanning from his early years in high school to international stages, Sean's music carries a unique blend of passion, storytelling, and technical expertise.

Having completed his Bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance (cum laude) at UCT, Sean's musical journey has been marked by numerous achievements. Notable accolades include securing first place in the UNISA National Strings Competition and winning the FMR Music Bursary Competition within the Jazz category . He has also been a member of esteemed youth bands such as The Standard Bank National Youth & School's Bands, Artscape Youth Jazz Festival, and represented UCT at the Arcevia Jazz Festival in Italy. Sean's debut album, "Out of the Candlelight," released in 2020, received high critical acclaim, showcasing his prowess as a composer and producer, and has since been performing with his project around South Africa. Between local gigs and projects Sean has also been a bassist international tours for highly acclaimed productions of ‘School of Rock’ and Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda the Musical’.

Sean's talent extends beyond performing as he has also made a name for himself as a sought-after recording and session musician. His impeccable bass skills and musical sensibilities have graced numerous discographies of notable artists, displaying his versatility across various genres. Some artists include Mandisi Dyantyis, Darren English, Hilton Schilder, JITSVINGER, Ndumiso Manana, Robin Fassie, Shannon Mowday, Vuma Levin, Lucas Senyatso, Mark Fransman, Nomfundo Xalvula, Blake Hellaby, Muneeb Hermans, The Ashanti Tribe to name a few…
In addition to his performance and recording endeavours, Sean has been a part-time lecturer at UCT, sharing his knowledge and passion for double and electric bass as well as ensemble.