Shane Cooper & MABUTA Return with “Finish the Sun”
Shane Cooper & MABUTA have returned with their second full-length album, entitled Finish the Sun. The South African jazz group continues to expand their diverse sound by digging into genres from across the continent.
“The six-piece outfit draws on influences from Mali, Nigeria, the Sahel, Morocco; and the many sounds that make up their native South Africa,” a press release states. “This musical trip seamlessly dances through Afrobeat, maskandi, funk and hip hop, to moments of cinematic beauty. All embedded with subtle hints of 70s psychedelia.”
Bandleader and bassist Cooper sets the tone with creative and energetic bass lines to drive the music. He made a concentrated effort to focus on joy that led to up tempo tracks.
“A few years ago I was sitting outside with friends having coffee before a rehearsal. It was early spring and the sun was about to set,” he explains. “Someone suggested we go inside to start the session. I suggested we first ‘finish the sun’. Those words became like a mantra over the last two years while I was creating this album. I chose to take more time to enjoy and be present in the good moments, instead of always rushing to the next thing. I focused on what was important to me, like spending more time in nature. This all influenced the sound and tempos of the music. I wrote these songs after walks and bike rides, and I was feeling good and balanced.”
Get ready to move with “Where The Heart Is”:
Finish the Sun is available now digitally through Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon MP3, and more.
Finish the Sun Track List:
- Finish the Sun
- Where The Heart Is
- Umshana
- Spirit Animal
- Kucheza
- Joburg Poem
- Flow
- The Walk
