Born in 1959 in Cape Town’s historic Langa township, South
Africa. 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 greats like Madoda Gxabeka, Winston Ngozi , the Ngcukanas, Ezra and Duke,
Blackie Tempi and Robert Sithole. By the early 1980s 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 sported 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.
MY HISTORY
1989
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.
1992
In 1992 he began touring with Hugh Masekela’s Lerapo,
alongside guitarist Lawrence Matshiza and pianist, 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 among others have formed a consistent team of collaborators for McCoy.
2000’s
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, as well as the compilation CD – Best of the Early Years. Brasskap
Sessions Volume 1 won the 2008 award.
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, and in 2001 starring in a Norwegian production based on the life of
John Coltrane. He has also created what he calls the Young Friends: a
collaboration with the next generation of South African jazzmen.
McCoy’s other projects Include Kulturation a duo-led album
with pianist Wessel van Rensburg exploring new interpretations of tunes from
the African and Afrikaans communities. This project blends together familiar
tunes from the Xhosa and Zulu cultures with Afrikaans folk music tunes fusing
these into contemporary versions of local South Africa music. Vivid Africa, is
another collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Greg Georgiadis, using instruments
like oudh and bouzouki alongside saxophones to explore the musical spices of
the East African coast. McCoy was also a member of a super band Sheer All Stars
which consisted of some of the best musicians In SA Jazz : the late Sipho
Gumede,Errol Dyers, Paul Hanmer,Frank Pako, Wessel van Rensburg and Louis
Mhlanga. They recorded three albums; Indibano, Live at the Blues Room and Dance
With Me. McCoy and his long time friend Paul Hanmer recently released a CD that
was recorded live In 2009 at Alte Kirche Boswil, Switzerland during the Kulak
Jazz festival. In January 2011 he collaborated with Norwegian musicians In
project called Indibano and they performed at the Nordic Black Theatre In Oslo.
McCoy also conducted the South African Youth Jazz Band this year In June/July
at the Grahamstown festival and they also performed In August at the Joy Of
Jazz In Newtown JHB South Africa. McCoy has just finished a new album working
on which is released digitally on the 6th of June 2014. McCoy also produces,
teaches and spends a lot of time, as he puts it, simply being a family man. “My
ambition is to keep our kind of music alive here at home. Everything I do is
about linking the now to the community I came.
Yagull is New York post rock chamber project featuring
composer/ guitarist Sasha Markovic and pianist extraordinaire/ composer Kana
Kamitsubo. Following the success of critically acclaimed album
"films", the couple recorded the new material with a help of the
fantastic line up of guest musicians hailing from eight different countries
including fellow MoonJune international recording artists Beledo, Dewa Budjana,
and Marko Djordjevic. The second album named after their son Kai born during
the period of writing and producing the record, is now available on MoonJune
Records. The couple is going back to studio, this time in Kobe, Japan in April
2016 to start working on their new album.
Yagull "Kai" (Moonjune, 2015)
Yagull’s second CD, their debut for MoonJune Records, “Kai,”
represents big musical and personal changes for group founder, composer,
producer, and guitarist, Sasha
Markovic. Yagull has officially became a
duo with the addition of Sasha’s most challenging collaborator up until this
time, pianist extraordinaire Kana Kamitsubo.
Sasha and Kana’s partnership went further as they became husband and
wife. Album “Kai” and the title track are named after their son born in 2014.
Picking up where the last Yagull CD, “Films” left off in
2012, “Kai” expands the post rock chamber soundtrack concept exploring new
structures written around acoustic guitar, bass, percussion and acoustic piano.
Yagull as a duo has an increased crossover potential for attracting listeners
that may not be dialed into any of the specific genres baked into this
release.
Yagull delivers eight brand new compositions, two tunes from
"Films" revisited ( Dark, Sound Of M ) plus two covers for this
sophomore release. The tracks range from
"North" which exploits Kana's mastery of creating evocative mood and
space for Sasha to play, folksy "Z-Parrow" while
"Omniprism" drifts into progressive rock ambiance. Methenyesque tune
“Blossom”, leaves space for special guest Dewa Budjana to shine with another
beautiful, lyrical solo. The title track for their son emotes a melody that can
easily go alongside "Waltz for Debby" by Bill Evans in any play
list.Sasha once again wears his affection for classic rock as a badge reworking
the Free song, "Wishing Well," which was also passionately performed
by the late Gary Moore, as well as Deep Purple’s “Burn”. Beledo’s majestic lute
introduction pays a homage to Deep Purple’s live version from the "Made In
Europe" record.
The duo are also joined by several guest musicians, the
extraordinary and diverse line up hailing from eight different countries,
including fellow Moonjune international recording artists Beledo (guitar), Dewa
Budjana (guitar) and Marko Djordjevic (drums), as well as the long time
collaborator flutist Lori Reddy, Anthony Mullin from The Blackfires (guitar),
Jackson Kincheloe from Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds ( harmonica ),
Gabriel Nat (clarinet), Wen Chang (violin) and Yoshiki Yamada (upright bass).
“Kai” has set Yagull on a journey that will appeal to wide range of
listeners. This is essential MoonJune
music.
Yagull "films" (zozemusic/ distributed by
MoonJune, 2012)
Yagull "films" is written, arranged and produced
by composer/ guitarist Sasha Markovic who is joined by an extraordinary group
of soloists consisting of Lori Reddy (flute), Eylon Tushiner (sax) and Sonia
Choi (cello). The music on "films" appears very cinematic and theme
based, but would probably best be described as a "next generation
post-rock chamber music." Like an independent film, the moods on
"films" move from the dramatically atmospheric to playful. Two
classic rock pieces appear in the mix that serve as listener friendly signposts
within the landscape. "White Room" by Cream and "Sabbath Bloody
Sabbath" by Black Sabbath are both bravely deconstructed from their iconic
forms and melodically reconstructed as dreamy reflective impression pieces. The
album closer, "Distance, " brings out the full band sound - featuring
soloists Reddy and Choi, and special guest, Josh Margolis, on drums.
