Take Five With Shane Cooper

Meet Shane Cooper:

Shane Cooper is a bassist, composer, and producer from Cape Town, South Africa. Oscillations, with his quintet, is due to be launched on August 22, 2013 at Cape Town's Mahogany Room. In 2012, he was selected as the Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz. Has he been a member of Babu (SAMA Nominee) and Closet Snare. He continues to work with the Kyle Shepherd Trio (SAMA Nominee) and the Reza Khota Quartet. He has also worked with Zim Ngqawana, Feya Faku, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Malcolm Braff, Jeroen van Vliet, Marcus Wyatt, Soweto Kinch, Melanie Scholtz, Bokani Dyer, Nicky Schrire, Afrika Mkhize, and many more.

Instrument(s):

Double bass and electric bass.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

I saw shows by South African artists like Steve Newman and Carlo Mombelli

Favorite venue:

Bird's Eye in Basel, Switzerland and Mahogany Room in Cape Town, South Africa.

I like there for their great atmospheres, audiences, and staff.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?

Bokani Dyer's Emancipate The Story for its beautiful compositions and great playing.

The first Jazz album I bought was:

Miles Davis, Kind Of Blue (Columbia, 1959).

Did you know...

I also make electronic music.

CDs you are listening to now:

Ben Allison, Peace Pipe (Palmetto);

Nils Berg Cinemascope, Popmotion (HOOB);

Imperial Tiger Orchestra, Addis Abeba (Mental Groove);

The Bad Plus, Suspicious Activity (Columbia);

Malcolm Braff, Inside (Enja)

Desert Island picks:

Miles Davis, Kind Of Blue (Columbia);

Joni Mitchell, Mingus (Asylum);

DJ Shadow, Preemptive Strike (Mo'Wax);

Carlo Mombelli, Bats in the Belfry (Baobab);

Bob Marley, Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On (Island Records)

How would you describe the state of jazz today?

Evolving.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

Audiences with open ears and venues with a focus on listening.

What is in the near future?

I'm currently promoting my new album Oscillations, which will be for sale online soon. I also have shows planned with my quintet around South Africa in the coming months. Aside from playing, I am also writing new material for some new projects next year and I'll be working on the score for a new film at the end of the year.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

Bokani Dyer's "Blessing."

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

In visual arts in some way.

Photo Credit

Courtesy of Shane Cooper