For almost ten years, Tutu Puoane (SA/B) walked around with the poetry collection In A Ribbon Of Rhythm by her South African compatriot Lebogang Mashile under her arm. Mashile’s poems made a deep and lasting impression on her, and every time she read them, she heard music.
She decided to write a bunch of new songs based on some of her favorites from Mashile’s collection, together with her partner-in-life-and-in-music, pianist Ewout Pierreux. The result is an original and glowing repertoire sounding like her own African mix of singer-songwriting, jazz and soul.
This music forms the basis for her new album ‘Wrapped In Rhythm’, which is produced by the legendary American musician/bassist/producer Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Thomas Dybdahl, Herbie Hancock, …) and which will be released in the spring of 2024.
On stage she brings the songs to life with her band with Pierreux (B, piano), Clemens van der Feen (NL, bass) and Dré Pallemaerts (B, drums). The open and loose structures allow for a free, improvised and communicative approach to the repertoire. Anyone who has already experienced her live knows that this is the ideal context for Puoane at her best.
Her beautiful voice and intuition, her sense of rhythm and melody, combined with her typical charm and sense of humour make every concert an unforgettable event. Because of her presence on stage, she effortlessly succeeds in touching music lovers outside regular genre borders. She makes you laugh, she lets you shed a tear, she lets you sing and dance along: she moves you in every possible way.
For bookings/inquiries, please check the territorial info on Tutu’s website.
