Heads Up
2005
Revival
About This Album
Trumpeter /composer Hugh Masekela's first outing in three years finds him in the company of some of South Africa's hottest young Kwaito producers and musicians. Masekela has pursued his own meld of South African township music and folk styles, pop, jazz, R&B topical songs, and blues. He has added to that mix the rhythmic invention of urban soul and hip-hop. Produced by Zwai Bala and Godfrey "Guffy" Pilane, Masekela swings for the smooth jazz radio fences with an eye toward crossing over to quiet storm play lists. "After Tears," which opens the set, is very much in the vein of the laid-back entwining of jazz and township styles. One can hear the trace influence of Abdullah Ibrahim's melodic sensibilities as a laid-back, shimmering groove that would not be out of place next to his monster smash of yore, "Grazing in the Grass." The rest is primarily vocal, with Bala taking the lead on the single "Woman of the Sun," a paean to modern women. Its relaxed, Nigerian rhythmic backdrop and punchy front horn lines seamlessly ground the tune as Bala and the percussionists ease the message across. Masekela's solo is simple but gorgeous, full of space and light.
Track List (try tracks 1 and 4)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

 
report abuse