Mtali Shaka Banda

Mtali Shaka Banda is a saxophonist currently based in Massachusetts. Having grown up in the midwest and south, and being the son of a Malawian refugee father, and an African-American mother, he was raised on a diverse set of sounds which is no doubt reflected in his music. He has lived a fruitful musical life, and has had the priviledge of sharing the stage with Sonia Sanchez, Talib Kweli, The Soul Rebels, Anik Khan, Penn Badgely, and artists from The.Wav.


He is currently the band leader of the Mtali Banda Oneness Project, which is a blend of Hip Hop, Jazz, and Soul music aimed at not just creating a sound, but also spreading a conscious message. He toured as the saxophonist for the Jeremy Turgeon Quintet, and was the composer and saxophonist for Mixed-Race Mixtape—a hip-hop theater piece which toured nationally.


His musical versatility has brought him all around the world. Just this past year he recorded in Southern Africa and performed with several well-known African artists, including Faith Musa and LAWI. As a first generation Malawian-American, he is apart of a growing southern African music scene that has embraced jazz as a means for social change.


He is currently finishing his debut album, “Rites of Passage”. A concept jazz album that uses jazz to tell a coming of age story that attempts to redefine and reclaim black manhood.