Linda Sikhakhane

Linda Sikhakhane is a tenor and soprano saxophonist from South Africa. His physical yet sensitive tone and playing style melds various, lyrical and spiritual influences from John Coltrane and Billy Harper to Winston Mankunku Ngozi, Thandi Ntuli and Nduduzo Makhathini (a longtime collaborator). He has played and recorded with respected South African and international artists such as Brian Thusi, Gregory Potter, and Reggie Workman, among others. Sikhakhane won the SAMRO Overseas Scholarship in 2016, and in 2017 released debut, Two Sides, One Mirror while studying jazz at the New School University. He followed with the live, An Open Dialogue (Live in New York) in 2020. 2022′s Isambulo appeared to international critical acclaim. That year he won the Standard Bank Young Jazz Artist award. The following year he signed with Universal Music Africa, and in 2024, via Blue Note, released third studio album, Iladi. Linda Sikhakhane was born in Umlazi Township in Durban. His musical journey began at Siyakhula Music Centre, taking recorder lessons, and later at Clairwood Boys Primary School. His love for music – jazz in particular – was responsible for him switching to saxophone, and attending music classes taught by Brian Thusi and Khulekani Bhengu. Later, he studied jazz at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal and obtained a diploma In jazz. He made his recording debut in 2014 on pianist/composer Nduduzo Makhathini’s Mother Tongue, and played in Afrika Mkhize’s septet. The following year he played on McCoy Mrubata Brasskap Sessions Vol. 2. He also co-founded the hip hop horn group H3. Sikhakhane won the SAMRO Overseas Scholarship in 2016, and in 2017 self-released his debut album, Two Sides, One Mirror, produced by Makhathini. He used his SAMRO money to fund emigration to New York to Tenroll in the News School’s jazz program. There he studied with Billy Harper, Reggie Workman, David Schnitter, and Charles Tolliver, to name a few, and earned a masters degree in jazz studies. In 2018, he joined Thandi Ntuli’s large ensemble on the independently released Exiled. The following year, Sikhakhane led a jazz nonet at The New School’s Arnold Hall, and self-released the concert as An Open Dialogue (Live in New York) in 2020. After touring, he returned to South Africa, where he appeared prominently on Makhathini’s globally acclaimed Blue Note debut, In the Spirit of NTU, as well as Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane’s Music From My People. Most importantly, however, he recorded his third album, Isambulo for New York’s Ropeadope, with ensembles ranging from quartets to sextets. Released in 2023, it won accolades across the international jazz press, and led to his signing with Universal Music Africa, and Blue Note in the United States. That year he played a prominent role on Bokani Dyer’s Radio Sechaba (Brownswood) and Mbuso Khoza’s Ifa Lomkhono (Ropeadope). In July 2024, Blue Note/Universal Music Africa released Sikhakhane’s label debut, Iladi. Produced by Makhathini, who also served as pianist, the session’s other musicians included double bassist Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere and drummer Kweku Sumbry on drums. ~ Thom Jurek