Gabi Motuba’s [Art in Jazz]

Cape Town will soon host a singular sonic experience as composer and jazz vocalist Gabi Motuba takes the stage at Art in Jazz 2.0: Jazz According to the Feminine. Set for August 7th at ROOM 91, the performance is a stripped-back yet emotionally expansive offering that draws from Motuba’s acclaimed album The Sabbath, a deeply personal suite composed in memory of her late father.

“The Sabbath is really an ode to grief,” says Motuba. “It’s layered with emotional themes, and every part of it was crafted with deep intention. The musicians on the record – my husband Tumi Mogorosi, Reza Khota, and string players from my previous project, are people I’ve trusted with my sound for years.”

Motuba’s compositional approach to The Sabbath mirrors the structural precision of film scores, a world she has long admired. “I’ve always loved strings. I grew up obsessed with movie scores, from The Lion King to The Lord of the Rings. My dream has always been to write for film,” she shares. That dream is already taking shape through her recent work with independent and visual art films, where she continues to explore how music can elevate imagery and emotion.

At Art in Jazz 2.0, Motuba will be presenting a trio interpretation of The Sabbath, accompanied by both Reza Khota and Tumi Mogorosi. “I like to reimagine my work for different ensembles, to preserve the core of the composition no matter how it’s performed,” she explains. “This trio format reveals the music’s skeleton – drum, harmony, and voice, and it allows the lyrics to really come forward.”

Songs like “Order My Steps” and “The Law First Mentioned” will be performed in their purest form, what Motuba calls “song-songs”—pieces with lyrics that invite close listening. “When I sing them stripped down with just guitar, they take on a new kind of intimacy,” she says.

This raw, minimal performance is not just an aesthetic choice, it speaks to Motuba’s belief that jazz is more than just a genre or performance style. “I’m not just a spotlight singer,” she says. “Jazz, for me, is conceptual. It’s philosophical. I see it as a living, shifting form that can intersect with visual art, politics, healing – anything.”

That ethos aligns perfectly with Art in Jazz 2.0’s mission: to expand how we think about jazz by positioning it alongside other disciplines. The collaboration will also feature work by renowned visual artist Sam Nhlengethwa, known for his long-standing engagement with jazz history and iconography. Together, the show becomes a dialogue between sound and image, memory and presence.

“Jazz can’t only exist in clubs or on stages,” says Motuba. “It needs to live in new spaces, engage new audiences, and open up new conversations – especially for women and especially in South Africa. When we say ‘Jazz According to the Feminine,’ we’re talking about reclaiming space, rethinking the role of the voice, and breaking down outdated ideas about what jazz should look or sound like.”

The Cape Town audience, long supporters of her work, hold a special place in her heart. “Cape Town always shows up,” she says with a smile. “They embrace the left-field ideas. I’m really grateful to keep being invited back.”

As the broader Art in Jazz series seeks to revitalize Cape Town’s jazz culture and reimagine how the genre can intersect with other art forms, Gabi Motuba stands at the forefront – challenging, imagining, and composing a future for jazz that is feminine, intimate, and profoundly human.

Gabi Motuba performs at Art in Jazz 2.0 on Wednesday, August 7th at ROOM 91, 91 Bree Street, Cape Town.
Limited tickets are available via Quicket – find link below.

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