Grrr (Hugh Masekela album)

Last updated

Grrr
Grrr - album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Hugh Masekela
Released1966
RecordedApril 1965 — May 1965
Genre Jazz
Length32:41
Label Mercury SR 61109
Producer Ed Townsend
Hugh Masekela chronology
Trumpet Africaine
(1962)		Grrr
(1966)		 The Americanization of Ooga Booga
(1966)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Tom Hull B+ [4]

Grrr is the second studio album by South African musician Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in New York City and released in 1966 via Mercury Records. [5] [6] Grrr was re-released on LP in 1968 on Wing/Mercury labels as Hugh Masekela and on CD in 2003 on Verve label. On this record, he seamlessly fuses jazz ideas with the rhythmically complex South African music known as Mbaqanga. [7]

Contents

Reception

A reviewer of Dusty Groove wrote: "Great early work from Hugh Masekela! The record features all instrumental tracks – all short, and with Hugh's funky South African trumpet rolling over the top! The overall sound is a lot less slick than on some of his late 60s hits – and you can really hear his roots in the South African jazz scene on this one. The tracks are spare, with a strong jazz component – and dancing piano lines behind the raspy and soulful trumpet and trombone solos that dominate much of the record." [8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."U, Dwi" (Song for my Mother)Hugh Masekela3:09
2."Zulu and the Mexican"Hugh Masekela3:17
3."Emavungweni" (Green Home)Ndikho Xaba3:05
4."Ntjilo-Ntjilo" (The Love Bird) Miriam Makeba 4:05
5."Sharpville"Hugh Masekela3:26
6."Umaningi Bona" (Long River)Zack Nkabinde3:11
7."Sipho"Gwigwi Mrwebi3:37
8."Kwa-Blaney" Jonas Gwangwa 2:07
9."Mra"Christopher Mra Ngcukana3:04
10."Phatsha-Phatsha" (Hurry-Hurry aka Puffin' on Down the Track)Lemmy "Special" Mabaso2:54
Total length:32:41

Personnel

Uncredited personnel

The uncredited personnel is identified by Hugh Masekela in his autobiography Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masekela (Crown 2004, ISBN   978-0-609-60957-6). [9]

Related Research Articles

Hugh Masekela Musical artist

Hugh Ramapolo Masekela was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for writing well-known anti-apartheid songs such as "Soweto Blues" and "Bring Him Back Home". He also had a number-one US pop hit in 1968 with his version of "Grazing in the Grass".

<i>Trumpet Africaine</i> 1962 studio album by Hugh Masekela

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<i>Africa 68</i> 1968 studio album by Hugh Masekela

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<i>Main Event Live</i> 1978 live album by Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela

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References

  1. ↑ Nastos, Michael G. "Hugh Masekela – Grrr". Allmusic . allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Larkin, Colin (27 May 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1203. ISBN   9780857125958 . Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Cook, Richard. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings: Cook, Richard. p. 862. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  4. ↑ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Hugh Masekela". Tom Hull . Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Hugh Masekela - Biography". Amoeba Music . amoeba.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "Hugh Masekela – Grrr". Discogs . discogs.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Hugh Masekela: GRRR". Fresh Sound Records . freshsoundrecords.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Hugh Masekela: Grrr". Dusty Groove . Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "DISCOGRAPHY: 1955-1969". dougpayne.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
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