For upcoming artist Azah, music is a tool to spread love and consciousness among his fans.

The 37-year-old jazz musician, whose real name is Mpho Given Mphago, says aside from creating good sounds, he hopes to teach through his music.

"I am an African, a socialist, a teacher and a Pan-Africanist. I teach black consciousness. "

The father of two daughters from Mamelodi in Pretoria says he is often invited to schools to give lectures to young people about the arts and music, and to give motivational talks.

"I founded the Capital Arts Revolution, which is a movement that is about black revolution and related matters.

"I also formed a movement called Sechaba sa Rantsho, which looks at African renaissance. We do therapeutic art and I go around institutions working closely with young people, teaching them arts as well," he says.

Azah's latest album is dedicated to women of all races and walks of life.

"The album is dedicated to our mothers. It is just to say to the women who raised us that we love you and we appreciate you," he says.

The percussionist says the music bug bit when he started singing as a back-up singer in 1992. He says his music was inspired by his family of "healers".

"I started with music from primary school and it got serious in 1992 when I went to perform for the first time and started travelling extensively from there and did a number of productions."

He says he has worked on the albums of high-profile figures including Simphiwe Dana.

Azah says he hopes to infiltrate the African music scene with his sounds and has started to do so by working with other African artists on his next album, which is a collaboration.