Masekela - Hugh Masekela (1969 pressing) (1LP Vinyl, 1st pressing, Sealed)

Masekela by Hugh Masekela.

Few records capture the restless energy of Hugh Masekela quite like this self-titled outing, a session that finds the trumpeter and vocalist stretching across a full twelve tracks of grit, groove, and unmistakable feeling. From the opening salvo of "Mace And Grenades" to the closing "Extra Added Attraction," the album moves with purpose, a document of an artist unafraid to let the music do the talking.

The liner note says it plainly: "The Music herein speaks for itself. Nothing more need be added. All there remains to do is to do." It is a fitting credo for a set this direct. Side A alone carries the weight of "Gold," "Sobukwe," "Blues For Huey," and "Gafsa," each a study in mood and momentum, while "Boeremusiek" nods toward the sounds of Masekela's roots even as the band pushes into deeper territory.

What makes this session so alive is the uncredited but formidable cast assembled behind Masekela's trumpet and vocals. Henry Franklin anchors the low end on bass, with Chuck Carter driving from behind the drum kit and Arthur Adams weaving in on guitar. William Henderson colors the arrangements from the piano bench, and the horn section runs deep, with Al Abreu and Wilton Felder on saxophone and Wayne Henderson lending trombone. It is a lineup with serious pedigree, playing loose and tight all at once.

Side B keeps the pressure on across "Fuzz," "Head Peepin'," "Otis," "Riot," and "If There's Anybody Out There," a run of tracks that swings from the funky to the fervent. Producer Stewart Levine, credited here as directing the sessions, gives the whole affair a sense of shape without ever taming its edges, letting the players find their own way into each cut.

A word for the vinyl obsessives among you: Side B carries a genuine curiosity in its grooves. The record features two runout grooves, and the final track, "Extra Added Attraction," sits inside the first of them. To hear it, you will need to lift the tone-arm and set it back down a little closer to the center, a small ritual that turns the last song into something you have to reach for. The runouts themselves are etched, a detail that never fails to reward a close look.

Housed behind cover photography by Barry Feinstein and printed in the USA, this is a pressing that rewards attentive listening and a bit of hands-on care. For the collector who values Masekela at his most unguarded, backed by an ace band and captured with real character, this one earns its place on the shelf.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Mace And Grenades
A2. Boeremusiek
A3. Gold
A4. Sobukwe
A5. Blues For Huey
A6. Gafsa
B1. Fuzz
B2. Head Peepin'
B3. Otis
B4. Riot
B5. If There's Anybody Out There
B6. Extra Added Attraction

Credits:
Henry Franklin - Bass [Uncredited]
Chuck Carter - Drums [Uncredited]
Arthur Adams - Guitar [Uncredited]
Barry Feinstein - Photography By [Cover]
William Henderson - Piano [Uncredited]
Stewart Levine - Producer [Directed By]
Al Abreu - Saxophone [Uncredited]
Wilton Felder - Saxophone [Uncredited]
Wayne Henderson - Trombone [Uncredited]
Hugh Masekela - Trumpet [Uncredited], Vocals [Uncredited]

Notes:
"The Music herein speaks for itself. Nothing more need be added. All there remains to do is to do."

Printed in USA

Side B has two runout grooves. Track B6 is inside the first runout groove, so one has to pick up the tone-arm and put it down again a bit closer to the center to hear the last track.
Runouts are etched

Artist: Hugh Masekela

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: UNI Records

Catalog Number: 73041

Release Year: 1969

Pressing Year: 1969

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)