South African jazz pianist Bok

South African jazz pianist Bokani Dyer makes London debut at Vortex

The winner of the Standard Bank Young Artist award for jazz in 2011, Bokani Dyer and his quintet will take the stage at Vortex on Thursday 15 May

South African jazz pianist Bok

BokaniSouth African jazz pianist Bokani Dyer will give his debut London performance at Vortex on Thursday 15 May.

Bokani Dyer was born in 1986 in Gaborone, Botswana, where many musicians and artists from South Africa, including his father Steve Dyer, were living in exile.

Having musicians around him sparked an interest in pursuing music as a career. Following four years of formal piano lessons during high school, he graduated from the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town, with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) first class in 2008.

In 2011, Dyer was awarded the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist award for jazz and took first prize in SAMRO Overseas Scholarship Competition in August 2013.

He has recorded two albums under his own name. Debut album Mirrors was released in 2010 and provides a strong indication of the style and artistic trajectory Dyer continues to pursue. Emancipate The Story (2011), is a recording made possible by Standard Bank as part of the jazz Young Artist award.

This formidable young talent will be joined by an equally exciting group of UK musicians, including Soweto Kinch, an alto saxophonist from Birmingham, UK.

Bokani Dyer — piano
Chris Williams — alto
Soweto Kinch — tenor
Neil Charles — bass
Seb Rochford — drums

Date: Thursday 15 May 8 pm – 11.30pm

Vortex is at 11 Gillett Square, London, N16 8AZ

Tickets £10.

Book on www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/bokani-dyer