Tumi Mogorosi and Gabi Motuba launch ‘Sanctum Sanctorium’

Fans of jazz musicians Tumi Mogorosi and Gabi Motuba are in for a treat this November, as the duo will be launching their album “Sanctum Sanctorium”. A collaboration with Swiss pianist Malcom Braff, the album was recorded in Bern in 2015 as part of their studio residency.

We spoke to them about their expectations on the upcoming tour and what revelers can expect from the mini tour which precedes a more extensive SA and European tour in 2017.

What are some of the other highlights from your residency in Bern?
Tumi: Bern was really amazing in that the facilities that where afforded and the people we were engaging with were really great. Progr is an amazing space for artistic reflection and interaction, the artists are friendly and of a high calibre.

Gabi: The recording process was effortless and music came together quite beautifully. All the musicians were really generous with regards to bringing the music to life.

What are you looking forward to the most about the tour?

Gabi: Tumi and I have put in a tremendous amount of planning to get everything done for the promo launch tour. However, our main highlight is obviously playing the music and sharing for the first time since our residency. We are looking forward to playing with Malcolm and Sebastian and for the tour and they too are also very excited about the music.

Tumi: I am looking forward to really playing and sharing this music particularly because I am sharing the band stand with really amazing individuals. I am also really looking forward to the opportunity to travel and share this music with the world.

What do you admire about each other’s artistry and how it fits into playing together?

Tumi: What intrigues me about Gabi’s musical sensibility is how she uses the voice as an “instrument” as opposed to the ideas of the lead, she coined her approach as “sound based singing”. Again for me this becomes a study of how to build communal approaches in the construction of ideas that are transmitted in song or sound.

Gabi: Tumi has the ability to really bring out the best in people especially on the basis of music. The way he can communicate his intentions through his drumming has always stunned me. Also because the band comes from different parts of the world, it was always our concern in the beginning if the music would gel, however with an energy like Tumi’s, the gelling happens effortlessly because of the element of sharing and of community. I always look forward to playing with him.

 Line up on tour:
Tumi Mogorosi (Drums)
Gabi Motuba (Vocals)
Malcom Braff (Piano) Switerland
Keenan Chas Ahrends (Guitar)
Sebastian Schuster (Brass) Germany

 Line up on the album:
Tumi Mogorosi (Drums)
Gabi Motuba (Vocals)
Malcom Braff (Piano) Switerland
Andreas Plattner (Cello) Switzerland
Sebastian Schuster (Brass) Germany