Vuma Levin, an acclaimed guitarist and 2021 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz winner, is poised to release his much-anticipated album “Allegories” on 11 July 2025, following the receipt of the prestigious Confluences Grant from ProHelvetia. This grant facilitated collaboration with a constellation of talented musicians from Switzerland, resulting in a unique project, In Motion, co-led by Levin and his Swiss counterparts.
“Allegories” finds its roots in the rich and complex interplay between South African and Western European musical traditions, creating a tapestry that weaves together cultural narratives often overshadowed by historical narratives of colonialism. The album was recorded at the iconic Studio Flon in Lausanne, Switzerland and features a stellar lineup of musicians, including Théo Duboule on guitar, Matthias Spillmann on trumpet, Marco Zenini on bass, and Martin Perret on drums. Together, they embody a fusion of sounds that reflects the diverse influences inherent in both South African and European folk traditions.
In the month leading up to the album’s release, Levin will embark on a tour accompanied by renowned South African percussionist Gontse Makhene. The pair will showcase their artistry across four performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town, starting at Chiesa di pazzo Lupi in Johannesburg on 10 July, followed by Chris Seabrooke Music Hall on 11 July, The Commons in Muizenberg on 12 July, and ending at the Guga Sthebe Cultural Centre on 13 July, as part of the Jazz in the Native Yards series.
Levin’s project goes beyond traditional jazz, challenging historical perspectives surrounding the Renaissance and colonialism. He notes, “The Renaissance is often perceived as the period that propelled Western Europe from the so-called darkness of the Middle Ages into the Enlightenment… However, this narrative was facilitated by acts of racial violence.” Through “Allegories,” Levin aims to reframe the story of modernity, asking daring questions: what if the narrative were told from the perspectives of the oppressed, the enslaved and colonized?
This innovative musical exploration manifests as a reimagining of Hegel’s Lord and Bondsman allegory, creating a tale steeped in themes of resistance and emancipation. The project reinterprets 16th and 17th-century madrigals documented by the Basel-based physician Felix Platter, embedding them within the cultural vernacular of traditional Nguni music, contemporary jazz, and the Black Atlantic’s rich pop music traditions.
Through the unique blend of styles, “Allegories” unearths and challenges colonial narratives, asserting the integral role of Africa and its diasporic peoples in the formation of modernity, instead of relegating them to a peripheral existence. By foregrounding Black Atlantic musical practices, Levin and his collaborators invite listeners into a dialogue that celebrates resilience and cultural richness.
As Levin prepares to showcase this profound musical statement in live performances, anticipation mounts for an album that promises not merely to entertain but to provoke thought and inspire reflection on narratives of history and identity, bridging the past with the present in a soundscape that honors the complexity of human experience.
