SA: Mushroom Hour Half Hour strikes deal with UK jazz label

The development is one of three partnerships New Soil announced this week. Other agreements include a deal with Bridge The Gap to co-release music by three rising stars in the UK – Jackson Mathod, Raffy Bushman and James Copus. New Soil has also teamed up with Women in Jazz to develop a label offering.

Mogorosi’s latest album has amassed a number of accolades across press and radio, and was named The Guardian’s Global Album of the Month in June. It features artists such as Louis Moholo-Moholo, Makaya Ntshoko, Ayanda Sikade, and more. The project boasts songs such as ‘The Fall’, ‘Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child’ and ‘Wadada’.

Mogorosi released his debut solo album Project ELO in 2014. In 2017, he was part of the Swiss-based Sanctum Sanctorum and worked with several international artists including UK saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings. Mogorosi plays for Shabaka Hutchings’ Shabaka and The Ancestors band and avant-garde group The Wretched. 

Founded in 2020, New Soil is home to the Marathon Music Group. The label has released critically acclaimed albums by important jazz musicians including Intra-I by Theon Cross and Liminal Space by Ill Considered. Additionally, the label previously worked with award-winning concert promoter Church of Sound to build a label offering which make available highlights of its musical archive starting in 2023.

“Over the coming months, New Soil will continue to explore ways to develop meaningful relationships with anyone who is committed to nurturing and growing the musical ecosystem and jointly tending to its fruits so that it can continue to flourish for many years to come,” New Soil managing director and co-founder Fred Bolza said.

Marathon Music Group chairman and CEO Paul-Rene Albertini said: “We are so grateful to be working with inspiring artists and entrepreneurs via our New Soil imprint. It has been an exciting journey so far and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead.”