Matshidiso Mohajane On The Jazz Standard With Brenda Sisane
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As we close today’s edition of The Jazz Standard we are thrilled to welcome Matshidiso Mohajane into the studio - an artist whose voice sits at the crossroads of jazz, soul, folk and poetic storytelling. Matshidiso is a London-based singer, pianist, and storyteller and she is joining us fresh on South African soil with her new body of work. We debut music from her new album IDKL (I Didn’t Know Love), paired with a few sonic companions you’ll want to save to your playlist. Matshidiso has always lived in that beautiful grey space where genres blur. Her sound is intimate yet
Extra in case 1. Gretchen Parlato - Circling (04:48) 2. Aaron Parks - Peaceful Warrior (04:29) expansive - grounded in jazz phrasing but reaching into soul harmonies, folk textures, and cinematic arrangements. IDKL continues this exploration, inviting listeners into a diary-like musical landscape where emotional honesty leads the way. The album sits comfortably in a contemporary jazz universe shaped by introspection, hybridity, and narrative depth. In IDKL, Matshidiso leans into the uncertainty of modern life - the ‘I don’t know yet’ moments - turning them into sonic meditations. Her writing and arranging feel both deeply personal and universally resonant. To frame this conversation musically, we’re pairing Matshidiso’s work with artists who, like her, redefine what contemporary jazz can sound like. You’ll hear echoes of Somi, whose African-rooted jazz storytelling aligns with Matshidiso’s global sensibilities. We’re bringing in Gretchen Parlato, whose minimalist, rhythmic vocal approach mirrors Matshidiso’s subtle, breath-led phrasing. We include Lianne La Havas, who, while rooted in soul and folk, shares Matshidiso’s gift for emotional clarity and harmonic elegance. And from the indie-jazz corner, Saje, whose delicate production and intimate vocal layers sit perfectly alongside the textural world Matshidiso creates. Together, these voices form a constellation - a space where jazz is fluid, personal, and rooted in storytelling rather than strict tradition. This segment celebrates the contemporary jazz artist as a shapeshifter - someone who can move between genres without losing their centre.
Matshidiso stands among the new generation of boundary-pushers who honour jazz’s improvisational spirit while opening the door to fresh sonic possibilities. Her visit to South Africa also marks a homecoming of sorts - a chance to reconnect with audiences who have followed her growth and to introduce IDKL to a landscape hungry for new voices with something meaningful to say.” So stay with us as we close the show in conversation with Matshidiso Mohajane - exploring her journey, her new album IDKL, and the soundworld she shares with today’s most adventurous jazz storytellers
Extra in case 1. Gretchen Parlato - Circling (04:48) 2. Aaron Parks - Peaceful Warrior (04:29) expansive - grounded in jazz phrasing but reaching into soul harmonies, folk textures, and cinematic arrangements. IDKL continues this exploration, inviting listeners into a diary-like musical landscape where emotional honesty leads the way. The album sits comfortably in a contemporary jazz universe shaped by introspection, hybridity, and narrative depth. In IDKL, Matshidiso leans into the uncertainty of modern life - the ‘I don’t know yet’ moments - turning them into sonic meditations. Her writing and arranging feel both deeply personal and universally resonant. To frame this conversation musically, we’re pairing Matshidiso’s work with artists who, like her, redefine what contemporary jazz can sound like. You’ll hear echoes of Somi, whose African-rooted jazz storytelling aligns with Matshidiso’s global sensibilities. We’re bringing in Gretchen Parlato, whose minimalist, rhythmic vocal approach mirrors Matshidiso’s subtle, breath-led phrasing. We include Lianne La Havas, who, while rooted in soul and folk, shares Matshidiso’s gift for emotional clarity and harmonic elegance. And from the indie-jazz corner, Saje, whose delicate production and intimate vocal layers sit perfectly alongside the textural world Matshidiso creates. Together, these voices form a constellation - a space where jazz is fluid, personal, and rooted in storytelling rather than strict tradition. This segment celebrates the contemporary jazz artist as a shapeshifter - someone who can move between genres without losing their centre.
Matshidiso stands among the new generation of boundary-pushers who honour jazz’s improvisational spirit while opening the door to fresh sonic possibilities. Her visit to South Africa also marks a homecoming of sorts - a chance to reconnect with audiences who have followed her growth and to introduce IDKL to a landscape hungry for new voices with something meaningful to say.” So stay with us as we close the show in conversation with Matshidiso Mohajane - exploring her journey, her new album IDKL, and the soundworld she shares with today’s most adventurous jazz storytellers
