Tumi Mogorosi

Tumi Mogorosi is a South African jazz drummer, composer, and activist. A founding member of Shabaka & the Ancestors, he has also worked in the Amandla Freedom Ensemble and Nicola Conte's Spiritual Galaxy. Mogorosi won global notice for his debut album, 2014's Project Elo. Produced by famed South African jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, it featured a jazz sextet (with alto saxophonist Mthunzi Mvubu and guitarist Sibusile Xaba) and four opera singers. After touring and recording with several of the aforementioned groups at home and in Europe, Mogorosi co-founded the Wretched with singer Gabisile Motuba and bassist/electronicist Andrei Van Wyk in a sonic interpretation of the philosophy of Frantz Fanon, author of the liberation classic the Wretched of the Earth. They recorded and released an acclaimed self-titled album in 2019. In 2022, Mogorosi released Group Theory: Black Music that included his quintet, three vocal soloists, and a choir.