African Breyani: a musical conversation between South Africa and Ghana

The journey of African Breyani began in 2018 when South African composer and lyricist first met Ghanaian pianist and composer Victor Dey Jr at the National Youth Jazz Festival in Makhanda. Their first encounter left a lasting impression on the South African musician, who described the experience as haunting and felt a deep connection to the music.

However, despite efforts to collaborate, no progress was made until 2024. Victor returned to South Africa with the GH Jazz Collective, and the two musicians briefly connected during rehearsals of the National Schools Jazz Band. This moment led to a more intentional collaboration, with Victor reaching out again and expressing his hope for working together.

The album represents several firsts for the South African artist, including his first collaboration with an African artist outside South Africa and the production of a significant international album. The album was recorded in both South Africa and Ghana, symbolizing the power of African musicians uniting and discovering shared musical connections.

The title African Breyani was inspired by a song the South African artist wrote in 2023, reflecting on the tension between his ethnicity and home, which is Africa. The dish breyani, made from a blend of spices, represents the unity of diverse musical traditions and personalities in the album. The South African musician's journey to realizing the album's significance has been a discovery of Africa's rich musical heritage, challenging the notion that one should seek musical excellence outside the continent.

The album has become a reminder that the distance between Durban and Accra is not as far as once thought, as the musical threads connecting the two countries are ancient, resilient, and deeply human. In a time marked by suspicion, fear, and division, African Breyani highlights the importance of collaboration in building unity.