Hugh Masekela and Me…
I don't think any musician ever thinks about making a statement. I think everybody goes into music loving it. I just came from South Africa, a place that had been in a perpetual uprising since 1653, so the uprising had become a way of life in our culture and we grew up with rallies and strikes and marches and boycotts. Politics was no different to us from how it was to the Irish, except we were fighting real oppression instead of a racial or religious war.
Hugh Masekela
Hugh Masekela’s Next Album (1966) signed by Hugh, Larry Willis Times Square, NYC
“Brandan, May the gods of music sing for you”
When I left South Africa, there were ten million people, when I came back there were more than forty million. I had to learn how to get to the highways because when I left, there were no highways.
Hugh Masekela on his thirty year exile
Hugh Masekela’s Latest (1967) signed by Hugh, Larry Willis
“Aaron, We missed you. Affectionately”
Born in South Africa in 1939, Hugh Masekela emigrated to the United States in 1960 to attend the Manhattan School of Music via a scholarship arranged by the Harry Belafonte Foundation. It was not free, as Hugh recalled in an NPR interview in 2004:"I also had to work part-time in Harry Belafonte's music publishing, because they ain't going to give you no money." At music school, he studied classical trumpet for four years and met some amazing classmates including Donald Byrd, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Larry Willis. Hugh is best known for "Grazing In The Grass", a number one hit in 1968 which sold four million copies, and he has had a long and varied career exposing Western audiences to his unique African Soul-Funk-Jazz jumbo. Hugh also wrote "Bring Him Back Home" in 1987, a paean to free Nelson Mandela:
”Bring back Nelson Mandela.
Bring him back home to Soweto.
I want to see him walking down the street in South Africa tomorrow."
The South African Government promptly banned the song because of the inflammatory lyrics, but that did not deter Hugh's stalwart activism. No matter, the song's infectious groove and upbeat message became the unofficial anthem of anti-apartheid forces, and it was deemed "clean" by the government in 1990 when Mandela was freed, and Hugh could return home from exile. Once again, the unassailable power of Hugh's music would not be denied.
24 Karat Hits (1966) signed by Hugh
I saw Hugh probably twenty years ago at SOBs in New York City. SOBs (Sounds Of Brazil) is a (mostly) Latin dance club just outside of Greenwich Village. The show featured Hugh and his propulsive band, with percussion, brass, vocalists, electric and bass guitars creating a joyful noise of swirling, percolating African polyrhythms. The energy was infectious, and there was dancin', sweatin' and carryin' on. After the show, I scooted downstairs and had Hugh sign a couple albums. He was warm and welcoming.
Alive And Well At The Whisky (1967) signed by Hugh, Larry Willis
Recently, I saw Hugh with pianist Larry Willis, his old friend and colleague from the Manhattan School of Music. Best friends and performers for the past fifty-five years, Hugh and Larry played a rare unplugged gig at The Jazz Standard in New York City as a duo, just trumpet/flugelhorn and piano. And Hugh added some choice cowbell during a couple of African infused selections. The show was essentially a master class in music history and performance with two consummate musicians presiding. Hugh talked about coming to the United States in 1960 with dreams of being a bebopper. He was enthralled with the music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Hugh impersonated Miles' gravelly rasp as he said Miles took him aside and told him. "Listen, don't try to play our shit, you need to take your African shit and mix it with our shit and then......shit." Impeccable advice delivered with judicious timing which Hugh dutifully followed.
The Promise Of A Future (1968) signed by Hugh
Hugh and Larry opened with "Billie's Bounce", a Charlie Parker composition, and Hugh blew some furious and florid runs on the flugelhorn. Then he played one of his ex-wife's songs, Miriam Makeba's "Bajabula Bonke (Healing Song)". It was akin to a spiritual experience as Hugh sang forcefully in a deep African dialect. Before the next selection, Hugh mentioned how important and influential Louis Armstrong was, and he played a beautiful version of "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" and a sublime and mournful "Rockin' Chair", a Hoagy Carmichael ballad that Hugh cited as his favorite enduring Louis Armstrong performance. It was a slow, funeral march and extremely poignant. They closed out the set with an upbeat version of "Cantaloupe Island", the Herbie Hancock groover which got the crowd moving. Now it was time for a visit with Hugh.
The Lasting Impression (1968) signed by Hugh, Larry Willis
“Kendall, Love, Learn & Teach”
I sidled back stage, slid past a heavy curtain and found Hugh sitting alone on a bench in his dressing room. I introduced myself, told him how much I loved his performance and said, 'My good friend, Gary Stromberg told me to bring all these records to get signed. He thought you weren't working hard enough.' Hugh smiled warmly, "I love Gary, let's see what you got." I handed him Alive And Well At The Whisky . "What's your name?" I spelled it out. He misspelled it. Ok, let's try another. 'Here's one for my wife, Erin. E-R-I-N.' "OK, OK, I got it." He writes 'A'. No, I interrupt him, 'E. E-R-I-N.' "Yes, yes", he assures me. "Aaron, We missed you" reads the inscription on Hugh Masekela's Latest. Now we're O for 2. 'Ok, how about my son B-R-E-N-D-A-N.' "That's easy" comes the reply brimming with confidence. "Brandon, may the gods of music sing you songs." A beautiful inscription on Hugh Masekela's Next Album but now we're 0 for 3 in spelling. Ok, 'How about my daughter K-E-N-D-A-L-L.' "Oh, that's easy." he says. Here we go again, I've heard this before. "You mean like Kendall Kardashian?" Oooh, dagger to my heart. "Kendall, Love, Learn and Teach" inscribed perfectly on The Lasting Impression Of Hugh Masekela, now we're 1 for 4, but a tough way to get there. He teases me, "Where did you get all these fuckin' albums? I'm working too hard." I reply, 'Gary sends his love, and he told me you needed the work.'
The Byrds: Younger Than Yesterday (1967) signed by Hugh, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman
I gave him The Byrds' Younger Than Yesterday (he played trumpet on "So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star"). I've worked on Wall Street trading desks for twenty five years plus, so profanity is really my first language. I say, 'How the fuck did you play on this album?' He smiled, "Peter Fonda was a great friend and he introduced me to David Crosby. Me and Cros are still really close. You see his hat (on the album cover)? He took me to a store and bought me one. It's a Borsolino, a beautiful hat. I still have it." Really? after almost fifty years? That's amazing. "It's a nice fuckin' hat," Hugh confirmed.
Uptownship (1988) signed by Hugh
"All right, let's finish the rest of the albums. What I really want to write is Fuck You." He signed a couple more. I dared not have him attempt my other daughter Camryn's name, I had no idea how that would turn out. Finally, Hugh said, "You know, I really want to eat, but all I'm doing is signing these fuckin' albums." There was a glint and glimmer in his mischievous eyes. "Which one can I sign Fuck You?" 'How about this one' I said as I handed him Techno-Bush. "Yes, this works" as he inscribed, "Neal, Fuck you with all these fuckin' vinyl, affectionately Hugh Masekela". 'Hey you misspelled my fuckin' name, it's N-E-I-L, can you fix it?' "Sure" as he dotted the a and made it an "i". "Hey, let me fix the other one," said Hugh thoughtfully as he sifted through the stack, found Alive And Well At The Whisky and fixed the errant "a". Techno-Bush has become my favorite album. Of all time.
Hugh Masekela: profound, profane and incredibly talented.
Techno-Bush (1984) signed by Hugh
“Neil, Fuck you with all these fuckin vinyl, affectionately, Hugh Masekela
Tomorrow (1979) signed by Hugh
A New Kind Of Soul (1970) signed by Larry Willis
Choice Hugh Masekela Cuts (per BKs request)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKcGCObEb28
"Grazing In The Grass" The Promise Of A Future 1968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG3oKb2JQow
"Bring Him Back Home" Live with Paul Simon, Zimbabwe 1987
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxoEvk2gQxc
“It's Not Unusual" Hugh Maselkela's Next Album 1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7yIbdlkoGo
"Cantelope Island" The Americanization Of Ooga Booga 1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTkgBHwpLVI
"California Dreamin' " Hugh Masekela's Next Album 1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icOYCI7uXOo
"Bajabula Bonke" Live at Monterrey Pop Festival 1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThpnteKpiB8
"No Face, No Name, No Number" The Promise Of A Future 1968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTUpZ2-RQdM
"Up, Up And Away" 45rpm single 1968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHtWuVwZSs
"Soweto Blues" Miriam Makeba and Hugh, Live 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq2yl8nAFG4
"No Woman No Cry" Hugh swings Ras Bob Uptownship 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItMJfNdpI8
"Mama" The Boy's Doin' It 1975
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qscj3eTjn-Y
"Don't Go Lose It Baby" Live 1984
Bonus Cuts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUtz400pRrw
"So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star" The Byrds with Hugh 1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHny1UyjXQU
"Further To Fly" Live with Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo Zimbabwe 1987