Aku-Stik

Chantal Willie-Petersen – Double Bass & Vocals
Phuti Sepuru – Piano
Mathapelo Matabane – Viola & Vocals

Chantal Willie-Petersen, the first female President of SAJE (South African Organization for Jazz Education), is a multi-talented artist known for her prowess as a jazz composer, bassist, pianist, vocalist, scholar, and lecturer. With cum laude Master’s degrees in Jazz Voice and Jazz Double Bass, she has collaborated with esteemed musicians worldwide, including Grammy-nominated group Zap Mama. In 2022, her commissioned composition “Kloppe Roep – Calling Bells” premiered at the University of Michigan, Center for World Performance Studies. Chantal’s contributions extend to academia, where she serves as a lecturer and Ph.D. candidate at WITS University, focusing on colored identity, African feminism, and historic sound. She has received prestigious grants and awards, including the ARA (Arts Research Africa) PhD Grant, Van Lanchots Scholarship, and SAMRO awards.