🎷 AotW: Jazz Hugh Masekela - I AM NOT AFRAID

[Captain Bacardi]

Hugh Masekela
I AM NOT AFRAID
Blue Thumb Records BST 6015

Released 1974

Peaked at #17 on the Jazz Album chart, #35 on the R&B Album chart and #149 on the Billboard 200 chart (1974)

Produced by Stewart Levine
A Chisa Record Production

Songs:

1. Night In Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie/Frank Paparelli) - 7:32
2. Been Such A Long Time Gone (Hugh Masekela) - 4:00
3. In The Market Place (Hugh Masekela) - 5:35
4. Jungle Jim (Hugh Masekela) - 4:30
5. African Secret Society (Hugh Masekela) - 5:45
6. Nina (H. Masekela/S. Toure) - 5:40
7. Stimela (Hugh Masekela) - 6:30
​

Musicians:
Hugh Masekela - Flugelhorn, Vocals
Nat "Leepuma" Hammond - Congas, Flute, Vocals
James Kwaku Morton - Congas
Richard Neesai "Jagger" Botchway - Guitar
Isaac Asante - Talking Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Samuel Nortey - Shekere, Vocals
Acheampong Welbeck - Calabash, Bells, Bass Drums
Stix Hooper - Drums
Joe Sample - Keyboards

Recorded at Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles, CA in March 1974
Engineered by Rik Pekkonen
Remixed at Hollywood Sound Recorders
Disc mastering by Arnie Acosta at the Mastering Lab
Design & Photography by Tom Wilkes Productions

Album is currently out of print



Capt. Bacardi

 

[alpertfan]

Question: I realize this particular song is not on this album, how well did "Grazing In The Grass" perform on the jazz charts? I'm well aware that it was an AC hit.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

They didn't have jazz singles charts in the 60's. But Promise Of A Future did well:

http://www.amcorner.com/forum/threads/hugh-masekela-the-promise-of-a-future.12365/



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

"Grazing In The Grass" ironically was a #1 Billboard hit which replaced Herb Alpert's "This Guy's In Love With You" at #1. Interesting they'd work together about a decade later.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is such a great album. After starting the album with a very spacey version of "Night In Tunisia" Masekela proceeds to describe a very visual picture about his homeland and the struggles he personally has had to face. "Been Such A Long Time Gone" is a perfect example about his exile and desire to return to Liberia:

Sailing down the river Nile
Nubian valleys green with dates and olives on the banks
Tanzania's lakes are sparkling ahead
Flowing through Uganda Straight into Malawi
Where the green of Mozambique flows into Zambezi​

Then later:

Clear across the river Limpopo
White soldiers standing in a row
Suddenly they open fire and then POP!
goes my dream....
​

Pretty heavy stuff!

"In The Market Place" is another journey of his admiring a woman in a market stall and eventually spending the evening with her:

We had a nightime of esctasy and we woke up to the roar of the lion....
​

Throughout the album Masekela sings of troubles of his homeland yet does it with upbeat and joyous sounds. Some of these songs have become staples of his concerts, such as "Long Time Gone", "African Secret Society" and particularly "Stimela", which is about working in the coal mines. "Nina" is a chant about a beautiful woman he encountered. "Tunisia" and "Jungle Jim" are the only instrumentals although Hugh plays flugelhorn on all tracks. It's too bad this hasn't seen the light of day on CD because this is an exceptional album!



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

A couple of songs are available on a compilation called Still Grazin' (Been Such A Long Time Gone and Stimela):

http://www.amazon.com/Still-Grazing...&qid=1414360693&sr=1-7&keywords=hugh+masekela