Bänz Oester & The Rainmakers - Gratitude (2023)

The Rainmakers are a prime example of this fruitful exchange between North and South. The bandleader and bassist, Bänz Oester and Javier Vercher on tenor sax, come from Europe; the pianist Afrika Mkhize and drummer Ayanda Sikade count among the continent-hopping talents from South Africa. The four of them form a close-knit, inseparable unit. In other words, we are dealing with a formation in which individual strengths are not showcased in egocentric fashion, but are transformed into a collective energy.

Oester, who cherishes a long-standing fascination with the rich musical culture of Africa, puts it this way: „I want to communicate on equal footing with the other musicians. For that a certain attitude, which does not tolerate hierarchical thinking, is necessary. My objective is to break boundaries. I don’t dictate anything to anyone – the music is conjointly developed.“ Namely along a high-voltage connection between North and South.

Javier Vercher – saxophone
Afrika Mkhize – piano
Bänz Oester – bass
Ayanda Sikade - drums