ABOUT
Thandanani Gumede is called Thanda for short---a Zulu name that means 'love one another'. Thanda is a vocalist and a multi-disciplinary artist from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He is primarily based in Leeds, U.K. and his music draws heavily from his dual Zulu and Xhosa heritage amalgamated with Jazz, Neo-Soul, Gospel and other contemporary styles. Notable appearances include the first ever Nelson Mandela Day officiated by the United Nations at the British Museum in London (2010), at Buckingham Palace (Royal Enclosure) for the then 44 members of the British Royal family (2014), the Theatre Royale Haymarket in the West End to raise funds for the British Red Cross (2015), the Manchester; Leeds and London Jazz Festivals (2018-2021), the award-winning Pizza Express SOHO (2021), the BBC Proms (2021), BBC Introducing (2021), and other various appearances on SKY One, SABC 1, BBC television and radio stations, to name but a few.
The Whitman Jazz Review
"...Perhaps the highlight of the second set was the number least characteristic of the entire performance: a quiet dedication to an absent member of the band. Over Dave Evans’ gentle, hymn-like chords, Thandanani Gumede sang in a heart-felt, near-falsetto voice that went straight to the heart. The hush in the audience was palpable." Full Article: https://wakefieldjazz.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/ubunye-16th-march-2018/
"Charles, Lord of the dance: Prince Meets African Troupe wearing Traditional Dress during the Buckingham Palace Garden Party. Prince jokes with South African Dancers..." https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2656843/Prince-Charles-meets-African-troupe-wearing-traditional-dress-Buckingham-Palace-garden-party.html
"The Company’s 2018 Resonance artist development programme included a project by Thandanani Gumede, which explored the theme of migration and the difficulties of visa renewal."
