Paras Dlamini’s debut album, titled ‘INGOMA BUSUKU’

was recorded in Cape Town, South Africa over a space of three days. This project was born off Linda Sikhakhane’s ‘SA/Swiss Celebration Group Tour’ in SA early 2023. Sikhakhane toured with Swiss (Lucca Fries & Jonas Ruther) and French (Geraud Portal) musicians he had recorded his last album ‘Isambulo’ with, and Paras features in a song titled ‘uNongoma’ in that album.

Although the music, lyrics, and even some impromptu performances at various local events have been under consistent development, this is a fresh take on the distinctly Southern African idiom with Dlamini’s collaboration of ‘Ingoma Busuku’. South African Jazz is a groove-laden exploration of multiple linguistic cadences. In this case, Dlamini expresses himself in his native Zulu language, yet his stylistic nuances reveal his multi-dimensional inspirations—both local, continental, and international.

‘Ingoma Busuku’ is an IsiZulu axiom that simply means ‘Song of Night’, but it’s a poetic expression that speaks to secret and sacred mantras, prayers, love ballads, and affirmations to self, the Supreme Being, and the Ancestors.

Produced by Blue Note Records recording artist/composer/arranger Dr. Nduduzo Makhathini, this is an evocatively spiritual album that will make you dance, meditate, and reflect on your own journeys—the ins and outs of life.

Paras Dlamini is accompanied by the eloquent company of South African Saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane’s | SA/Swiss Celebration Group, which features Swiss musicians Lucca Fries (piano) and Jonas Ruther (drums), alongside French bassist Géraud Portal.