Pianist and composer Sibusiso “Mash” Mashiloane. Picture: Supplied.
KwaZulu-Natal
Ahead of his Cape Town International Jazz Festival performance, acclaimed pianist Sibusiso Mashiloane returns home to Durban with his Mash Trio for a special live show at UKZN’s Centre for Jazz and Popular Music.
Acclaimed pianist and composer Sibusiso “Mash” Mashiloane will take to the stage with his long-time collaborators Dalisu Ndlazi (bass) and Riley Giandhari (drums) when the Mash Trio performs at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on 18 February 2026.
The performance comes ahead of Mashiloane’s appearance at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) in March and forms part of the festival’s hometown activations spotlighting artists in Durban and Johannesburg.
Rooted in African sonic traditions, the Mash Trio is known for live performances that blend soulfulness, groove, and improvisation. The upcoming set will feature a selection of Mashiloane’s most recognised compositions written between 2016 and 2025, alongside improvised moments shaped in real time by the trio’s musical connection.
“Our chemistry is the kind that can’t be manufactured. It’s built over years of listening, really listening, to each other,” said Mashiloane. “If you’ve seen Mash Trio before, you already know: we aim to leave people with a feeling they can’t quite name, but they’d want it again.”
Mashiloane is a senior lecturer at UKZN and holds a PhD in Music, with research focusing on South African jazz identity and the cultural “sound of home” in contemporary expression. His work bridges academic scholarship and performance practice.
Bassist Dalisu Ndlazi, whose career began in Umlazi at the Siyakhula Community Development Centre, has established himself as one of the country’s most in-demand jazz musicians. He was selected as National Schools Big Band bassist at the Standard Bank Youth Jazz Festival in 2012, later served as national youth band bassist from 2015, and attended the Louis Armstrong Summer Camp in New Orleans in 2019.
Durban-based drummer Riley Giandhari, also known as Riley G, began playing at the age of three under the influence of his father, drummer Pravin Giandhari. He holds a Master’s degree in Music (Summa Cum Laude) from UKZN and has received two SAMRO Overseas Scholarship awards as well as Mzansi Jazz Awards nominations for his debut album.
The evening will also feature acclaimed saxophonist Sisonke Xonti as a guest artist.
The event is expected to serve as a significant prelude to the CTIJF, offering Durban audiences an intimate performance ahead of the internationally recognised festival.
