Bheki Khoza Trio at Selective Live vol4

Bheki Khoza is the well-known left handed guitarist from Umlazi, Durban, South Africa. In 1991 he received a Talent Award and scholarship to study music in America. He returned in 1995 from studying at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, with the great Jackie McClean, on of the few living legends.

Some of the musicians he held the opportunity to play with included Kenny Barron, Hilton Ruiz, Kirk Ligtsey, Cecil McBee, Virgil Jones, Charlces Davis and Steve Davis, who now Anarchy, a jam club for African music, in particular. Gigs stemming from the African connection included backing vocalist FLoxy Bee from Nigeria and Thuli Dumakude, a singer from South Africa, of Mabatha Fame.

Prior to studying in America, Bheki played with the African Jazz Pioneers, Abie Cindi, Sipho Gumede, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Rene McClean, Victor Ntoni, Mike Makhalemala, George Lee, and Berry Rachabane, among others. He also backed South Africa’s famous songbirds, Sibongile Khumalo, Sophic Mgina, Dolly Rathebe, Abigail Kubheka, and Themi Mtshani. During this time Bheki also had his own band Thayima, which played jazz and African music directly addressing the social conditions of the late 1980’s for this reason the band was never recorded.