Hugh Masekela – Beatin' Aroun De Bush (1992)
Hugh Masekela – Beatin' Aroun De Bush (1992)
01. Steppin' Out (3:37) 02. Ngena-Ngena (Instrumental) (6:07) 03. Ngena (Acapella) (0:52) 04. Batsumi (Mayibuye i Afrika) (7:37) 05. Rock With You (3:33) 06. Polina (6:57) 07. Languta (6:49) 08. Sekunjalo (7:24) 09. U-Mama (4:08) 10. Beatin' Aroun De Bush (6:31) Alto Saxophone, Whistle – Morris Goldberg (tracks: 2, 4, 6 to 8) Backing Vocals – Ambition Sandqnela, Clydene Jackson Edwards, Cussie Kunene, Fred White, Guy Spells, Jynnifer Quick, Lebohang Morake, Pauline Faraee, Ronald Kunene, Sandy Simmons, Thandi Bhengu Bass – Yaw Opoku (tracks: 10) Bass, Backing Vocals – Bakithi Khumalo* (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 9) Drums – Damon Duewhite (tracks: 2, 6, 8), Frankie Todd (tracks: 10), Gene Jackson (tracks: 9) Drums [Talking Drums] – Remi Kabaka (tracks: 8, 9) Drums, Percussion, Timbales – Richard Druz (tracks: 1, 5, 10) Flugelhorn, Vocals, Keyboards – Hugh Masekela Guitar – George Doering (tracks: 9), Lawrence Matshiza (tracks: 1, 5), Stanley Todd* (tracks: 10) Keyboards – Gboyaga Adelaja* (tracks: 10), Richard Cummings (tracks: 9), Todd Jasmin (tracks: 1, 5) Keyboards, Concertina, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Tony Cedras (tracks: 2, 4, 6 to 8, 10) Percussion, Congas – Francis Fuster (tracks: 2, 8, 10) Tenor Saxophone – Teco Cardoso (tracks: 1, 5)
With a mix of smooth contemporary jazz, Afro-beat, and world music, Beatin' Aroun de Bush is a highly accessible presentation of Hugh Masekela's flügelhorn expertise, as well as a visit to his South African homeland. This album was completed as his native country was voting to abolish apartheid, and the music contained herein is at times mellow and melancholy, but mostly celebratory. Masekela sings and chants, blows sweet phrases on his horn, and the whole band contributes to the rhythmic pulse with surprising instrumental accents and unexpected musical flourishes. The pop covers, Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" and Michael Jackson's "Rock with You," are enjoyable, but it's the African pieces "Batsumi," "Languta," "U-Mama," and the political title track that are the heart and soul of this recording. "Sekunjalo" is reminiscent of Masekela's 1968 pop hit "Grazing in the Grass." Sonically, Beatin' Aroun de Bush soars from start to finish thanks to Richard Druz's glistening production. ---Jim Newsom, AllMusic Review
When he wants to be, Hugh Masekela can be a fine jazz trumpeter as well as an imaginative blender of American jazz with the popular music of his native South Africa. On Beatin' Aroun de Bush, however, Masekela opts for a different sort of fusion--easy listening and world beat--as if he were Kenny G in Soweto. Playing the simplest of harmonic variations on pretty, bouncy pop tunes with splashes of South African flavor, Masekela delivers American pop instrumental music with very little jazz or African content. --Geoffrey Himes, amazon.com
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