Hugh Masekela: wins new fans with new CD, 'revival'

Jet, August 22, 2005

South African music legend Hugh Masekela defies categories once again on his latest CD, Revival--his first in three years.

Revival on Heads Up International records, finds him in the company of South Africa's most talented young producers and musicians. He draws much of his inspiration from the arranging styles of Kwaito, Fela Kuti's Afro beat as well as jazz and R&B.

"Kwaito is going to be around for a long time," says Masekela. "It's going to become an integral part of South African mainstream music. It's the core of the feeling of today's township youth."

Kwaito, slang for "ferocious," "hot-tempered" or "awesome," was initially promoted by small, independent record labels in South Africa. Since that time, it has become the voice of urban youth in South Africa.

Revival was produced by Kwaito producers Zwai Bala and Godfrey "Guffy" Pilane. "I sincerely felt that a collaboration with them would bridge the ridiculous gap that separated us and result in a truly and proudly South African product," Masekela adds.

Most of Revival's 12 tunes feature Masekela on vocals as well as on flugelhorn and cornet. Must-listen to tunes include Woman of the Sun, Spring, Smoke, Sleep, Open the Door and an instrumental version of the Isley Brothers' For the Love Of You. The opening track, After Tears, features noted guitarist Jimmy Dludlu.

Masekela won international fame with the 1968 instrumental hit, Grazing in the Grass. He also won rave reviews as co-composer and co-author of the critically acclaimed Broadway musical, Sarafina! and traveled the world as part of singer Paul Simon's epic Graceland tour.

A crusader against apartheid, his early albums helped bring traditional South African music to the mainstream jazz audience.

The busy music man has just wrapped up a tour with stops in Tokyo, Japan and U.S. dates including Oakland, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Boston and Chicago's Harold Washington Cultural Center. His bestselling autobiography, Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela, co-written with D. Michael Cheers, was recently released in paperback.