The Multiple South African Music Award Nominee, Kyle
Shepherd, born in Cape Town, South Africa on 8 July 1987, is
widely regarded as one of South Africa’s most influential and
accomplished Jazz pianists and composers. As a pianist,
saxophonist, Xaru player (traditional mouth-bow), vocalist and
poet he has forged a unique compositional and performance
concept that pays homage to all his musical influences and the
many great musicians he has worked with, all while continuing to
look forward musically in a way, which, in the words of the great
South African Jazz writer and historian, Gwen Ansell, “live in the
jazz world but are never imprisoned by it”.
Shepherd has released three critically acclaimed albums to date
namely, ‘fineART’, ‘A Portrait of Home’ and ‘South African
History !X’. He has earned South African Music Award
nominations for all three of his album releases, in the Jazz
Category! His first Solo Piano Album, recorded in Japan, is set
for release in 2013.
Shepherd will be performing with the legendary Louis MoholoMoholo at the 2013 Cape Town International Jazz Festival and
in September 2013 he will perform the world premiere of
‘Xamisa‘, a compositional work he was commissioned to write by
Festival d’Automne à Paris, at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord,
Paris, France
