Hugh Masekela: The Sound Of Jazz & Liberation

Renowned trumpeter and fearless anti-apartheid activist, Hugh Masekela is called "the father of South African jazz." Without a doubt he is one of the most influential musicians from South Africa and his music was vibrant and distinctly rooted in African tradition. Africa and African people had invariably been in Masekela's mind wherever he went. His music and activism, even after being exiled, revolved around his land and his people moreover, the voice of the common people. In this article, we will dive into the remarkable life of Hugh Masekela and how he became a global symbol of resilience, a voice for the oppressed, and an ambassador for African music.

Hugh Ramopolo Masekela was born on 4 April 1939 in Witbank, near Johannesburg, South Africa. He grew up with the urban and traditional sounds of South Africa. This exposure laid the ground for Masekela's musical endeavors and inadvertently, he was drawn to music living in such an environment. He tried his hands on trumpet at the early age of 14.  His first exposure to the trumpet came when he saw the film "Young Man with a Horn," featuring Kirk Douglas. Hugh's father Trevor Huddleston noticed the budding curiosity in Masekela and gifted him a trumpet. Unbeknownst to him, from this moment till his death, this very trumpet will become his source of courage and means of resistance. 

Acquiring a trumpet kindled his passion for music, at the same time, it also set him on a path to becoming one of the greats of his time. At that time, the Huddleston Jazz Band was the first youth orchestra in South Africa and Masekela joined the band with his father's encouragement. It didn't take much time before it was apparent that he had a talent for trumpet. He quickly began to make a name for himself in the local jazz scene.

In 1959, he founded Jazz Epistles, which was the first African jazz group to record an LP. Apart from Masekela, there was another future star, Abdullah Ibrahim who participated in this band. Together they incorporated African musical traditions with the bebop sounds of American jazz; this might have been Masekela's most crucial step in his search for a unique and vibrant sound.

With his peers, the father of South African jazz could envision a prosperous music career, but behind the scenes, something insidious was about to happen. In 1960, the people of South Africa witnessed one of the first and most violent demonstrations against apartheid in South Africa known as The Sharpeville Massacre. Masekela realized that his music could not flourish under such an oppressive apartheid regime and he had no choice other than to leave South Africa. In 1960 with the help of Huddleston and other supporters, he fled to London. This changed the course of his life, whether for better or worse it was yet to be known.

His journey took a serendipitous turn when he traveled to the USA and attended the Manhattan School of Music. Here in Manhattan, Masekela was exposed to an unimaginably broad spectrum of musical and political influences. And now, he could immerse himself in the vibrant jazz scene where he studied classical trumpet and had the chance to play alongside legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, and Miles Davis.

Masekela's rejuvenated life in the West started with auspicious incidents. Following those events, his first breakthrough came in 1968 when he released his version of "Grazing in the Grass"."Grazing in the Grass." It grabbed everyone's attention and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The success that came with this song also brought him global fame. This was the catalyst that established him as a significant figure in the jazz world. 

Despite his moniker the Father of South Africa’s Jazz, he has always been aware of his true self as a musician and exhibited a commendable inclination to push against this superficial definition. With that mindset, he went on to collaborate with musicians from around the world.

He had seen a diverse range of artists when he was in the USA, like jazz greats Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane, and even worked with pop icons like Paul Simon. But when it came to producing his own music, without skipping a beat, he took the life in South Africa’s black townships as his muse.

It is true that he left Africa in the 1960s, but Africa never left him, even for a moment. He also became involved in the civil rights movement during his stay in New York and saw the uncanny similarities between the struggles of African Americans and black South Africans. Masekela's music didn't serve mere entertainment to his listeners, rather it was his form of protest against oppression and apartheid. For instance, songs like "Bring Him Back Home," was a tribute to Nelson Mandela and was one of the popular anthems of the anti-apartheid movement.      

After the fall of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990, Masekela returned to South Africa. His long-awaited return was the end of three decades of exile. He carried on his live performance and recording albums, mentored young musicians, and actively participated in the renaissance of South African jazz. As a cultural ambassador, he promoted African heritage and identity. Finally, the South African government recognized his contribution to music and his stance against apartheid. Following the recognition, he received numerous awards and honors which included the Order of Ikhamanga in gold for his excellent achievement, from the South African government.

Hugh Masekela's remarkable life spanned for nearly eight decades. He saw the world crumbling down and saw the emergence of a new world out of the pile of rubble. He dedicated his life to pursuing music and social justice for the people of Africa. His music is his documentation of these events that he went through and till the end of his life, he stood proud with his head held high. Masekela is the symbol of resistance, endurance, and rebirth and the world of music will truly remember that.