Two friends explore a musical journey spanning continents
A MUSICAL collaboration between Africa and Europe will feature the best in saxophone when the Mrubata/Hauser Project tours KwaZulu-Natal this month.
The nation-wide tour features heavy hitters such as Paul Hanmer on keys, Thembinkosi Mavinbela on bass guitar and Bernice Boikanyo on drums, backed by McCoy Mrubata on tenor saxophone and flute, and Mark Hauser on alto and soprano sax.
Mrubata and the Swissborn Hauser were introduced by mutual friend Mark Roth. They hit it off immediately and over the years, the duo has embarked on musical projects which looked at ways to connect Africa and Europe.
Cape Town-born Mrubata grew up with the sounds of African music: the soulful hymns of the Zion Church, and the chants and rhythms of traditional healers. His musical career started after the 1976 uprising, and he studied informally under township greats like Madoda Gxabeka, Winston Ngozi, the Ngcukana’s – Ezra and Duke, Blackie Tempi and Robert Sithole.
“I didn’t want to do anything else but play music. My mom saw that and she bought me a flute in 1978. I joined a professional band that year and bought myself a saxophone in 1980,” he said.
In the mid 1990s, he made the first of a series of albums as the leader for the independent Sheer Sound label – Tears of Joy. The group of friends including pianist Paul Hanmer, bassist Andre Abrahamse and trombonist Jabu Magubane, have formed a consistent team of collaborators for him.
“I was introduced to Mark Hauser in Oslo. In 2015, he attended some of my shows at the famous Bird’s Eye. We both enjoyed and admired each other; we then talked about teaming up on a collaborative here hence the Mrubata/ Hauser Project was born. This is going to be the first time we perform together after planning and sharing music,” said Mrubata.
Hauser started 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, US, and graduated in 1993 in performance. He then studied with Kenny Garrett, Joe Viola, Hal Crook, George Garzone and Jerry Bergonzi.
In 2011, he studied in the Brazilian city Salvador da Bahia, where he was exposed to South American idioms and jazz improvisations. His latest album as the Mark Hauser Quartet is titled It’s All About The Journey and is a collection of his favourite music – jazz.
Mrubata and Hauser will perform new compositions from their individual solo albums starting next week.
Wednesday February 8: Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, UKZN Howard College Campus. Doors open at 6.30pm. Tickets: R70/ R45 pensioners/ R20 students. Call 0312603385
Friday February10: Luthuli Museum, 233 Nokukhanya Luthuli Street, Groutville. Doors open at 6.30pm. Tickets R30. Call 0317111524
Saturday February11: Seaman’s Corner, Unit 3, Hammarsdale. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets R30, Call 0317111524
Sunday February 12: The Rainbow Restaurant, 23 Stanfield Lane, Pinetown. Doors Open at 1pm. Tickets R120. Call 0317029161/ 0834638044