The first episode of Maskandi Live Sessions, this 2026 capture spotlights Inkosi Yamagcokama, a figure of maskandi, the traditional Zulu music of South Africa. Recorded as a live session, the performance unfolds the interlaced guitars, powerful choruses and characteristic rhythms of a genre born in KwaZulu-Natal, heir to migrant songs and Zulu traditions. Maskandi blends picking-guitar virtuosity, spoken recitatives (izibongo) and social narration, and this filmed live concert conveys its collective intensity and fervour. The Maskandi Live Sessions series sets out to document and amplify this South African musical heritage beyond its home regions. For an international audience, the capture offers an authentic plunge into a living tradition carried by seasoned musicians. A precious world live set for discovering the richness of a genre still too little known outside Southern Africa, and the vitality of the contemporary maskandi scene. Filmed as a live session, this performance is a rare chance for international audiences to experience maskandi up close, and to hear the interlocking guitars and call-and-response that define South Africa’s Zulu musical heritage.
Inkosi Yamagcokama — Maskandi Live Sessions, 2026
Published on October 19, 2026 by Simon Janvier
