Jazz Articles about Hugh Masekela

Hugh Masekela: Jabulani

by Thomas Carroll
April 1, 2012

At the age of 72, South African vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hugh Masekela is still making music with as much energy and passion as he did in the days of “Grazin' in the Grass" at the height of his international fame in the 1960s and 1970s. Historically, Masekela has used his music as a form of social and political activism to combat issues like Apartheid. Jabulani strays from this trend of defiance and instead focuses on the joys and drawbacks of ...

Hugh Masekela: Phola

by Douglas Payne
March 20, 2009

Phola celebrates Hugh Masekela's 70th year and marks the South African trumpeter's half century of bringing the music of his homeland to many ears throughout the world.As such, this musical statement--the 35th under Masekela's own name--seems to call for a glorious, celebratory mood. Instead, it is more of a quiet reflection on life, love, politics and social consciousness.Nothing wrong with that. Masekela, a true hero in his homeland, is an expert at such reflections. Phola was ...

Hugh Masekela at SOB's

by Seton Hawkins
May 19, 2006

Hugh Masekela SOB's New York City April 25, 2006

2006 is going to be the year Hugh Masekela reminds the world why he is a musical legend. Following the somewhat lackluster kwaito experiment with his 2005 Revival, Masekela opened 2006 with the excellent Hugh Masekela Presents the Chisa Years 1965-76, a collection of tracks he performed on or produced. He has also recently undertaken a US tour.On April 25th, Masekela (or, to ...

Hugh Masekela: Revival

by Jim Santella
May 18, 2005

Hugh Masekela, 66, sings and plays his horns on Revival with the same spirit that drove his worldwide commercial success nearly forty years ago. His flugelhorn and cornet still have that smooth sound: a bit frail, but always filled with seamless phrases that bounce fluidly along a trail that's easy to latch on to. This time out, he sings the lead vocal part in a concert that folds in South African elements of a contemporary nature.

Masekela wrote ...

Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela

by Joel Roberts
September 5, 2004

Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela By Hugh Masekela and Michael CheersCrown Publishers 2004

Subtitled the “The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela," this powerful autobiography of the veteran jazz/ world music trumpeter is much, much more: it's the story of a man's--and a nation's--journey through tragedy, turmoil and tyranny to freedom. Set against the background of South Africa's epic struggle, it's also a highly compelling tale of a life lived to excess, ...

Hugh Masekela: Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela

by Eric J. Iannelli
July 11, 2004

Still Grazing is a retrospective. Like all retrospectives that lack any kind of bonus material (even the token unreleased alternate take or live recording), it raises the question of just whom it is for. Fans of the South African trumpeter/flugelhorn player/vocalist/songwriter will already have most or all of these eleven songs, compiled from six albums released between 1966 and 1974 ("a formative stretch of a long career," notes the cover blurb). And because it's being issued in conjunction with an ...