Skyjack’s album ‘The Hunter’ out

Jazz collective Skyjack, pictured, featuring some of the most sought-after jazz stars from South Africa and Switzerland, will release their sophomore album The Hunter in South Africa during a nationwide tour this month.

The band comprises three members from South Africa and two from Switzerland. All of them critically acclaimed in their own right, Skyjack’s sum is as great as its parts.

Shane Cooper on double bass, Kyle Shepherd on piano and Kesivan Naidoo on drums have each received the coveted Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz award. Marc Stucki (tenor saxophone) and Andreas Tschopp (trombone) are Switzerland’s most in-demand horn players.

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.

Bassist Cooper says: “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 world. Their new release, The Hunter was recorded in Maur, Switzerland, early this year at a studio that had the honour of hosting the likes of Tina Turner and Prince in previous years.

The album will be digitally released to the international market in early 2019. The physical release has been pressed and made available for the South African market, to be bought on national tour.

For more information, visit www.skyjackmusic.com – Citizen reporter