McCoy Mrubata performed with his band of long-term friends at Niki's for the first time on this Good Friday night, 29 March 2013. The venue was not as busy as it usually is due to the performance being on Good Friday, but the band delivered a high-quality, intimate performance nonetheless. They played two definitive sets, including in them the popular Jo’burg Mountains, which McCoy said was inspired by the mine dumps in the City of Gold, the “Yellow Mountains”. They also included in the sets Icamagu Livumile from the album with the same title, that won a SAMA(South African Music Award) in 2004 for Best Traditional Jazz album, and my personal favorites Entlombeni and Mr and Mrs Adonis - I can hear you scatting “daabee-daabee-dee-bee-daa” to the mere mention of this one !
There are very South African jazz artists who have managed to steer clear of the pure American and European jazz sounds, opting instead to predominantly fuse jazz elements with indigenous South African elements, in their music, like the chants and drumming of traditional healers, the Xhosa rhythms and sounds, and the elements of Mbaqanga and Goema music. McCoy Mrubata is one of those artists. Other artists that have followed this route are piano maestros Abdullah Ibrahim and Themba Mkhize, the late Zim Ngqawana and the 2013 South African Music Award winner for Best Jazz Album, Herbie Tsoaeli, to name but a few.
The McCoy and Friends sextet was made up of McCoy Mrubata on Flute and Saxophone, Paul Hanmer on Keys, Andre Abrahamse on Bass Guitar, Jabu Magubane on Trombone, Bernice Boikanyo on Drums, and Prince Lengwasa on Trumpet and Flugelhorn.
A big thanks to Bra McCoy and Sis Niki, for making this South African Jazz Experience post possible. Below are some photos from the show, do enjoy !
McCoy and Friends.
McCoy Mrubata on Saxophone.
The horn section.
Then horn section in dance.
McCoy Mrubata on Flute.
Prince Lengwasa on Trumpet and Flugelhorn.
Paul Hanmer on Keys
Andre Abrahamse on Bass Guitar.
