Concord Nkabinde (Band Leader/Bass/Vocal)

Ms Phuti Sepuru (Piano/Keys)

Mr Thami Mahlangu (Saxophones)

Louis Mhlanga (Guitars)

David Klassen (Drums/Vocal)

Guest Artist: Ms Phoebe Mgxaji (Vocal)

Concord Nkabinde

Soweto - SOuth WEstern TOwnships, in the South of Johannesburg - South Africa, is the birth place of this Creative Artist in Music, Composer, Producer & Music Educator. Concord Nkabinde’s interest in music began around age 10, whilst growing up in the streets of Soweto.

Raised with church music, he became involved with many Gospel music Bands and later ventured into the broader Music Industry. The desire to acquire more knowledge and experience, led to him pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of KwaZulu Natal. He then went on to teach music full-time at the Federated Union of Black Arts (FUBA) & at Funda Art Centre, before deciding to pursue a career as a session and touring Musician. Nkabinde soon became a sought after Bass Guitarist, working with the likes of Abdullah Ibrahim, Zim Ngqawana, Joyous Celebration, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Arno Carstens, Ray Phiri, Roy Ayers, Vusi Mahlasela, Theuns Jordaan, McCoy Mrubata, Miriam Makeba, Ernie Smith & many more.

In the year 2002, Concord set up a Record Company, Drocnoc Music, and went on to release his 2 self-produced CDs - “The time, The season” & “This is my World”. In 2011 he also released a Live DVD – “Live in Joburg, South Africa” which was nominated for a South African Music Award for “Best Live DVD”.

Concord has toured & performed internationally with great Artists like Johnny Clegg, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ray Phiri, Phil Manzaniera, Zim Ngqawana, Darius Brubeck, Deepak Ram, Freshlyground & many others. He has also performed with International Artists who toured South Africa, such as Lionel Loueke (Benin/USA), Roy Ayers (USA), Colin “Black” Vearncombe (U.K.), Sergio Diaz (Brazil), Efrain Toro (Puerto Rico), Eero Koivistoinen (Finland); Magnus Lindgren (Sweden), Nils Landgren (Sweden), Bendik Hofseth (Norway); Edyta Gorniak (Poland) & others.

Concord Nkabinde has a driving passion for cross-cultural collaboration projects. The mission of breaking down virtual boundaries that tend to divide people is a path he has embraced with both hands and heart. This passion got him involved in a number of projects of this nature: Southern Cross – South Africa & Brazil (1994); Two Nations – U.K. & South Africa (1997); Gathering Forces – Jazz & Indian Classical music (1994/97); Shuttle 99 – South Africa & the Nordic countries (1998/99); Beyond the rainbow – China & South Africa (2001); Imbizo – Finland & South Africa (2003); Øiseth Afrika – Norway & South Africa (2010); Magnus Lindgren & Friends – Sweden/South Africa/USA/Turkey (2013/14); Duet with Lionel Loueke – South Africa/Benin (2015); MamaSongue – Swedish/Congolese/South African/Latin/Irish Project (2018).

Concord has Composed Television & Documentary music for a number of TV shows including “Soul City”, “Soul Buddyz”, “Late Night with Kgomotso”, “SABC 3 TV” Channel Identity music, “Vuwani”, “For Better For Worse” and others. Nkabinde has been the Commissioned Composer for the SAMRO Foundation and UNISA music Competitions. Concord has also composed music for a Dance & Movement production on the life of Sarah Baartman - Cargo Precious.

In 2006, Concord Nkabinde received the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz. Having operated and gained experience as an independent and an unsigned Artist, Concord now facilitates Workshops that seek to empower developing Creatives with necessary tools to confidently explore Music and the Arts as a Business. These workshops include Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival’s Workshops Programme - “Geleza Kleva & Learn”, Academy of Sound Engineering, Creative Industries Career Expo 2020, “The Song Lives On: The words of Mandela & Tutu”, Eastern Cape Music Business Workshops, Abbey Road Institute – Johannesburg Studios.

Recently, Concord started “Ladies On Bass”, a series of Bass workshops for female Bassists. Some Highlight performances include: National Arts Festival (Grahamstown), Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival (Johannesburg), Jazz Baltica Festival (Germany), Poetry Africa Festival (Durban), Durban International Film Festival, Magnus Lindgren & Friends (Tour of Sweden), Concerts in Ireland with MamaSongue, Nelson Mandela – The Song Lives On, as well as Collaborations with Hugh Masekela, Tamara Dey, Louis Mhlanga, McCoy Mrubata & Ernie Smith.

Since 2018, Concord has been working between Ireland and South Africa, performing and recording as part of Mamasongue, a project led by Camilla Griehsel in Ireland. During the difficult & challenging year of 2020, Concorde released a brand new & uplifting Single “IF YOU BELIEVE”, in collaboration with Artist/Composer/Producer – ORIISON. In 2023, Concorde Nkibinde composed the musical score for a new documentary film, “A TREE HAS FALLEN – Remembering Archbishop Desmond Tutu”, produced and directed by Swedish Film-maker and Journalist Marika Griehsel.

Nkabinde has served as a Board Member of POSA (Performers’ Organization of South Africa), as Vice-Chairman of CASA (Composers Association of South Africa) and as General-Secretary of the recently formed MCSA (Music Creators South Africa). Concord Nkabinde describes himself as “An African voice speaking to the World”.