Jimmy Dludlu

Multiple award-winningguitarist Jimmy Dludlu has a unique style which has endeared him to audiences all over the world.  An iconic figure in the South African Jazz scene, Dludlu has made his mark as one of the finest musicians the country has ever produced.  With 6 hit albums, groundbreaking collaborations with the likes of Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Brenda Fassie, Chicco and Sipho Mabuse as well as numerous awards to his name, including SAMAs for Best Male Artist, Best Newcomer and Best Contemporary Jazz Album, Dludlu continues to inspire listeners with his distinct Afro-Latin-jazz sound.

His career took off in earnest in the mid-1980's, when he worked with various southern African bands and musicians including Impandze from Swaziland, Kalahari and Satari from Botswana and Ghanaian saxophonist George Lee. His debut album for PolyGram, Echoes from the Past, was released in September 1997 to a wealth of superlatives from the media. The album was also well received by the industry, selling over 25 000 copies within two years of its release and enjoying popularity in the United States, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and Hungary.

An intimate documentary about Jimmy's career was produced by Cape Town-based film director Revel Fox. Entitled The Birth of Jimmy Dludlu, the 30-minute portrait is a tribute to Dludlu’s profound influence on the world of jazz.

A show-stopping live performer, Dludlu is a frequent guest artist at music festivals including Paris La Villette, the Grahamstown Smirnoff Jazz, the Johannesburg's Arts Alive and Guinness Jazz festivals and with a constant stream of high-profile appearances, this legendary musician is nothing short of unstoppable.