Nduduzo Makhathini has shared “Unembeza,” the fourth and final single from his forthcoming Blue Note album The Myth We Choose. The album is set for release June 26 and follows the South African pianist, composer, and bandleader as he works with a wider group of collaborators while continuing to center song, memory, and history in his music.
The video for “Unembeza” captures Makhathini recording the piece live in the studio with bassist Dalisu Ndlazi and drummer Lukmil Perez. The song is presented as a piano trio performance, and the clip offers a direct look at the players in the room rather than a narrative treatment. The new track follows earlier previews of The Myth We Choose, which Makhathini has framed around the role songs play in shaping how culture remembers itself.
The Myth We Choose was co-produced by Makhathini and his 18-year-old son, Thingo Makhathini. The album also includes guest appearances from Shabaka Hutchings, Black Coffee, Robin Fassie, Keenan Ahrends, Thando Zide, Muneyi, and Omagugu, Makhathini’s spouse and longtime collaborator. In a statement about Thingo’s role in the project, Makhathini said, “Every time you hear a connection to electronics, or different kinds of grooves that people don’t as often associate with me, those are his ideas.”
The release comes as Makhathini prepares for an extensive 2026 tour that begins June 27 at Wigmore Hall in London and continues June 28 at Jazz Baltica in Timmendorfer Strand, Germany. July dates include Bimhuis in Amsterdam, Sunset-Sunside in Paris, and Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. Later 2026 stops include Newport Jazz Festival on Aug. 2, Detroit Jazz Festival on Sept. 6 and 7, SFJAZZ in San Francisco on Sept. 12 and 13, Blue Note Tokyo on Oct. 7 and 8, and Concertzaal De Singer in Antwerp on Oct. 30.
