The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music will
present award-winning jazz collective, Skyjack, featuring some of the most
sought-after jazz stars from South Africa and Switzerland, who will release
their sophomore album The Hunter on
Wednesday (November 7, 2018).
The band comprises three members from South
Africa and two from Switzerland. All critically-acclaimed in their own right, Skyjack's
sum is as great as its parts. Shane Cooper (double bass), Kyle Shepherd (piano)
and Kesivan Naidoo (drums, now based in Europe) have each received the coveted
Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz award. Swiss musicians, Marc Stucki (tenor
saxophone) and Andreas Tschopp (trombone) are two of Switzerland’s most
in-demand horn players who have attained dizzying creative and professional
heights over the years.
On the rare occasion that the full band is
able to convene, each member contributes compositions to the project, which is
then performed by the collective. This is a critical distinction to be noted
for Skyjack - that the performances are collaborative, but the songwriting is
an individual contribution, credited to each musician where necessary. Bassist
Shane Cooper notes: “The sound is an absolute power house, from deep African
grooves to heavy-hitting jazz rides and beautiful soundscapes. It’s all part of
the incredible journey that is Skyjack.”
The band recorded their debut self-titled
album in Switzerland in 2015, which received rave reviews across the globe. Their
new release, The Hunter was recorded
in Maur, Switzerland early 2018, at a studio that in previous years had the
honour of hosting the likes of Tina Turner and Prince.
The album will be digitally released to the
international market early 2019, through legendary German label Enja’s imprint
Yellowbird Records. The physical release has been pressed and made available
exclusively for the South African market, to be purchased on the upcoming
Skyjack national tour. The tour comprises eight show dates, ranging from free
shows and jazz festivals to more formal performances at highly regarded venues
in multiple cities.
The previous Skyjack tour was met with
sold-out shows, and will undoubtedly experience the same level of support in
November 2018.
Join Skyjack, five of SA and Switzerland’s
brightest Jazz stars as they launching The
Hunter on November 07, 2018, at 18h00 (doors open at 17h30) at The Centre
for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM), Level 2, Shepstone Building at UKZN Howard
College Campus. General admission R80 (R50 pensioners, R25 students).
For more information contact Thuli on 031 260
3385 or email Zamat1@ukzn.ac.za for more details.
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