Since his international debut for Blue Note in 2020, South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has been widely acclaimed for the genuinely spiritual transcendence of his music. For Makhathini, a Zulu healer and educator who delved into the stories and traditions of his ancestors, improvised music was never just a matter of aesthetics or idioms. But with the three-movement suite uNomkhubulwane (2024), his third release on the revered jazz label, Makhathini has surpassed all expectations by offering his deepest vision of creative mysticism yet.