Bongani Sibanyoni
Bongani Givethanks (born Bongani Glen Sibanyoni) is a music artist from Mabopane, Pretoria. He is a multipotentialite creative with an experimental approach to the concept of music and uses his work as a way of storytelling, a spiritual medium of expression, and also to address social issues as he seeks to make a positive impact in his community. Self-taught pianist fueled with passion and hidden talent for the arts he later expanded into other musical spectrums such as sound designing and music production.
Pianist, vocalist, composer, songwriter, bandleader, producer & entrepreneur are some of the terms one can use to describe Bongani Givethanks. Over the past years, he has joined and formed musical bands with various musicians like New Dawn, Rhythm Kulcha Afrika, 60 HErtz Projects, MadKInd, Mood Capacity Projects whereby multiple different styles and sounds from Gospel, House Music, African jazz, and free improvisation were explored.
Bongani Givethanks has since started writing, composing & performing his own music with a band that fuses various musical elements like south African jazz, mbaqanga, traditional music, and electronic music, which he refers to as African Creative Music. His music has earned him space to perform at major festivals and events around the country such as Smoking Dragon Festivals, Market@TheSheds(link sends e-mail), OSS Music Festival, Black Labone, African Chef, Avante Garde Vintage Lounge, The Market Place, and Afrikan SoundScape.
In seeing the need for live music preservation for the youth in the township of Mabopane, Bongani Givethanks initiated and established a movement with some of the artists called THEJAZZINJECTION and has since seen him facilitating numerous music workshops around the country like the community-based performance in KZN Utrecht, Music Workshop in Seleleka HIgh School JHB Soweto, Performance-based workshop for Mabopane Music students hosted by Pholoso Monare.
Bongani Givethanks is also a director of Mvumo Productions which is a music production company in Pretoria that develops and stimulates artistic creativity and professionalism through producing, commissioning, and presenting productions.
In April 2020, he released a song called ‘Feel Good Friday’ followed by an EP titled ‘Indoda’ in August 2020.
Bongani Givethanks was also featured on a compilation by a German record label called Jazz & Milk. 2023 saw Bongani collaborate with the seasoned Brazilian Jazz Trio Caixa Cubo in their recent album release titled Agora.
DISCOGRAPHY:
Indoda (E.P): https://bonganigivethanks.bandcamp.com/album/indoda
Feel Good Friday (Single): https://bonganigivethanks.bandcamp.com/track/feel-good-friday
Indoda(African Repraise): https://jazzandmilk.bandcamp.com/track/indoda-african-repraise
Kwanele(Live at Home Lounge): https://bonganigivethanks.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-home-lounge
A Sonic Remembrance FEAT. Xitha Makgeta (Single): https://mvumoproductions.bandcamp.com/track/a-sonic-remembrance
Caixa Cubo feat. Bongani Givethanks & Mpho Nkuzo: https://caixacubo.bandcamp.com/track/ndiyakhangela-feat-bongani-givethanks