Paul Hanmer, born in 1961 in Cape Town, South Africa, is a pianist and composer known for his contributions to jazz. He studied at the University of Cape Town before moving to Johannesburg in 1987, where he formed the trio Unofficial Language with drummer Ian Herman and bassist Pete Sklair. Their debut album, move moves, was released in 1994. Hanmer has collaborated with notable artists such as Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Jonathan Butler, and Pops Mohamed. He is also the keyboardist for The Sheer All Stars, featuring Sipho Gumede, McCoy Mrubata, and Frank Paco. In 2008, Hanmer's Clarinet Quintet was premiered at the Foyer Musical of the Zurich Opera House. His notable works include Trains to Taung (1997), Window to Elsewhere (1998), Playola (2000), Naïvasha (2002), and Water and Lights (2004).
