When speaking about South African music or history, you simply cannot ignore Hugh Masekela. Why? Masekela is the father of African jazz. Over the last four decades he released over thirty albums and he performed with countless international stars as Paul Simon and Louis Armstrong. Last but not least, Masekela was involved in the struggle against apartheid and for freedom in South Africa.

If it hadn't been for the Archbishop Trevor Huddleston the world might have missed out on one of the greatest trumpeters and jazz performers Hugh Masekela. It was him who in 1954 gave Hugh Masekela his first trumpet and arranged music lessons.

It didn't stop here. After Huddleston went into exhile in the 1960's, he managed to get Masekela to follow him to the United Kingdom. Here he was introduced to stars as Harry Belafonte, Dizzy Gillepsie, John Mehegan, and Louis Armstrong. He also hooked up with South Africa's diva of all times, Miriam Makeba. They married, but split up shortly afterwards in 1966.

Harry Belafonte helped him settle in the U.S. as a student. Hugh landed in New York where he recorded many records including his 1968 number one hit "Grazing in the Grass."

All through the years, until he returned to South Africa, his work was strongly influenced by political protest songs and sounds of the wide cross-section of the different South African cultures as for instance Xhosa, Zulu, Swazi, Khoi-san, Griqua, Sotho and Tswana.

Masekela, like Miriam Makeba, raised his voice against the apartheid regime. For instance, performed with Paul Simon on the Graceland  tour and defended Simon vigorously when the tour was seen as a violation of the ANC's cultural boycott. Masekela's enormous 1987 hit "Bring Him Back Home" became the anthem for Nelson Mandela's world tour following his release from prison in 1991.

Masekela once again lives in South Africa and at 66 years of age, he is still going strong. Masekela still tours throughout the world extensively, and performs on a regular basis across South Africa. Keep an eye on the Baxter Theater in Cape Town, and check out our events calendar on a regular basis.

Source: Miriam Mannak / Cape Town Magazine.com

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