Mrubata/Hauser Project in KwaZulu-Natal

Wednesday 8 February – Sunday 12 February

The Rainbow, iSupport Music Business, Centre for Jazz and Popular Music and Concerts SA proudly present a tour of the Mrubata/Hauser Project in KwaZulu Natal.

This collaboration came to life through a friendship which began in Switzerland when McCoy Mrubata and Mark Hauser were introduced by their mutual friend Mark Roth. The two Saxophone players hit it off immediately and over the years embarked on a project which looked at ways to exchange the music of the two continents - Africa and Europe. This concert is jammed with heavy hitters and their band features the cream of the crop of South African Musicians: Paul Hanmer on keys, Thembinkosi Mavinbela on bass guitar and Bernice Boikanyo on drums, will be backing Mrubata on tenor saxophone and flute and Hauser on alto- and soprano saxophone.

Reedman McCoy Mrubata grew up with the sounds of African music: the soulful hymns of the Zion Church, the chants and rhythms of traditional healers and the brassy jive of the Merry Macs band who rehearsed opposite his home. When schooling became impossible in the fiery aftermath of the 1976 uprising, the young McCoy, then playing flute, studied informally under Langa Township greats like Madoda Gxabeka, Winston Ngozi , the Ngcukana's - Ezra and Duke, Blackie Tempi and Robert Sithole. By the early 1980's he was playing in cover bands like Fever, Touch, Airborne and Vukani, from there he moved to crossover outfit Louis and the Jive. In 1987 McCoy was spotted by bandleader Sipho Hotstix Mabuse who helped him make Joburg his home. In 1988 he joined PJ Powers' band and also that year McCoy was spotted by veteran producer Koloi Lebona who offered him a recording deal with a British based record company, Zomba Records. The same record company had produced music for, amongst others: Jonathan Butler and Billy Ocean. McCoy’s debut album, Firebird was released the following year. 

In 1989 he formed Brotherhood, which also included guitarist Jimmy Dludlu pianist Nhlanhla Magagula and Lucas Khumalo and later Moses Molelekwa. In 1990 the band won the Gilbey's Music for Africa competition, beating top bands like Bayete, Peto, Stax and Zanusi. In 1992 he began touring with Hugh Masekela’s Lerapo, alongside Vusi and Bakithi Khumalo , Lawrence Matshiza and the late Moses Molelekwa among others. He also created his own bands, Cape to Cairo and McCoy and Friends. In the mid 1990s, he made the first of a series of albums as leader for the independent Sheer Sound label: Tears of Joy. The personnel of Friends, including pianist Paul Hanmer, bassist Andre Abrahamse and trombonist Jabu Magubane have formed a consistent team of collaborators for McCoy. 

Since those days, more albums have followed: Phosa Ngasemva, Hoelykit, Face the Music which won the 2003 South African Music Award in the Traditional Jazz category and Icamagu Livumile which won the same award in 2005 and Brasskap Sessions Volume 1 won the 2008 award. McCoy also won awards with bands : The Sheer All Stars and Kulturation. In addition, McCoy has collaborated with a dazzling array of South African jazz players and with overseas artists such as Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. He has been involved in drama, creating scores for South African productions about journalist Bloke Modisane and saxophone legend Kippie Moeketsi . McCoy also worked on three Norwegian productions (with Nordic Black Theatre) : two in 1994/5 in SA and in Oslo on two Bob Marley Musicals. In 2001, he stared in a play based on the life of John Coltrane, “Beyond The Blues”, playing a leading role. He has also created what he calls the Young Friends: a collaboration with the next generation of South African jazzmen.

Mark Hauser is a Swiss musician (alto, soprano, tenor, baritone saxophonist, clarinet, transverse flute), band leader, composer and music teacher. Hauser embarked on his musical career at the age of 15 as a saxophonist. After two years at the St. Gallen Jazz School, he studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA and graduated in 1993 with a major in performance. He spent further years studying with Kenny Garrett, Joe Viola, Hal Crook, George Garzone and Jerry Bergonzi. Furnished with a scholarship, he continued training at New York's Manhattan School of Music, where he refined his repertoire and became a professional musician. In 2011 he once again spent time studying abroad, in Brazilian city, Salvador da Bahia. His dealings with South American idioms and jazz improvisations influence his earliest compositions. 

As a band leader, Hauser not only realized his own projects, he was also the "side man" in a variety of formations and ensembles. As such he toured with the Swiss big band leader Pepe Lienhard, with Udo Jürgens, Billy Joel, with Brand New Rhythm in Mexico and Europe, and with the Phil Dankner Seat Music Session in Switzerland. Since 1990, he has played with: Randy Brecker, Chicco Freeman, Clark Terry, Adam Nussbaum, Mark Soskin, Billy Joel, Johnny Vidacovich, Al Porcino, Phil Wilson Big Band, George Garzone, Terry Lynn Carrington, Matt Garrison, Airto Moreira, Lew Soloff, Reggie Hamilton, Buster Williams, Christian Jacob, Danny Gottlieb, Marc Sway, Bligg, Lisa Millett, Seven, Myron, Tanja Dankner, Chinua Hawk, Rolf Stahlhofen (Söhne Mannheims). 

Besides his new album, with the Mark Hauser Quartet, “It’s All About The Journey”, of his projects as band leader, both Vol. I and II of "Boleros y Tangos", "There’s a Way out", "No Joke", "NuTube" and "A Tribute to Art Pepper" count among his most outstanding creations. Art Pepper, the American alto saxophonist, is one of his idols. "A Tribute to Art Pepper" is both an impression of his intellectual creativity as well as his musical brilliance. A further project is "NuTube", presented by Hauser. NuTube is a form of Nu Jazz, which came into being in the mid 1990's in countries including the USA, Mexico, France and Brazil. 

Hauser takes social trends of this style – as are expressed for example in Herbie Hancock’s Future Shock or by France's St. Germain – and develops his own musical concept from these. NuTube combines electronic music such as chill out and house with live instrumental music and is characterised by its polyvalent style, rhythm and formations. In his new album- Mark Hauser Quartet, "It’s All About The Journey”- he releases a piece with his favourite music – jazz. This album reflects his journey through jazz – a journey full of crossroads, different compositions and richly coloured improvisational styles; an adventurous, experimental and constantly challenging journey.

Wednesday 8 February – Centre for Jazz & Popular Music UKZN

Doors open 6.30pm
Tickets: R70 // R45 pensioners // R20 students
031-2603385
The Centre for Jazz & Popular Music (CJPM), Level 2 Shepstone Building at UKZN Howard College Campus, Durban

Friday 10 February – The Luthuli Museum

Doors open 6.30pm
Tickets: R30
031-7111 524
The Luthuli Museum, 3233 Nokukhanya Luthuli Street, Groutville

Saturday 11 February – Seaman’s Corner

Doors open 7.00pm
Tickets: R30
031-7111 524
Seaman’s Corner, Unit 3, Hammarsdale

Sunday 12 February – The Rainbow Restaurant

Doors Open 1pm
Tickets: R120
Call: 031 7029161/0834638044
The Rainbow, 23 Stanfield Lane, Pinetown

https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=409794326

Concerts SA Supporting Local Music

Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian project housed under the auspices of the Stakeholder Hub within The SAMRO Foundation; it receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAMRO and Concerts Norway. By engaging with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, the project aims to stimulate live music in South Africa by finding and implementing ways to create regular, sustainable performance platforms. Concerts SA also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools.

For more information please visit our website http://concertssa.co.za, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConcertsSA or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConcertsSA.