Jazz enthusiasts remember Hugh Ramapolo Masekela as an acclaimed South African trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. He was born in KwaGuqa, Witbank, on 04 April 1939 to Pauline Bowers Masekela, known to everyone as Polina, and Thomas Selema Masekela. He took piano lessons at the age of 5, and received his first trumpet in 1954, a week before his seventh birthday. What was special about that instrument is that it was from the legendary Louis Armstrong.

Masekela played with several musicians in South Africa before leaving for the United States and enrolled at Manhattan School of Music, New York, in 1960. He began to make a name for himself as a creative in the Big Apple and other parts of the US. While he enjoyed a successful career abroad, his country of birth was severely criticised because of its policy of apartheid, which was declared a crime against humanity by the United Nations on 16 December 1966. Hugh collaborated with many artists, recorded several albums, and performed at festivals in the US and around the globe.

Some of his famous songs include “Grazing in the Grass”, “Stimela”, “Bring Him Back Home”, “Don’t Go Lose It Baby”, and “Market Place”. While in exile, he used every opportunity available to condemn the apartheid regime for its policy on racial discrimination and oppression. In 1990, he returned to South Africa after thirty long years. Upon his return, he embarked on several tours and recorded more albums.

Hugh Masekela. Picture supplied

When he turned 60 in 1999, he released an album titled “Sixty” to mark this milestone. That recording included “Thanayi” where he featured a very young vocalist by the name of Thandiswa Mazwai, who was with Bongo Muffin at the time. Later she embarked on what has been an illustrious career as an artist, releasing four albums, with her debut receiving numerous awards. Hugh Masekela passed away on 23 January 2018.

In this year’s edition of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, Thandiswa Mazwai will be paying tribute to the legendary Hugh Masekela. She was a 14 year old high school learner when she first met the trumpeter. Masekela was so impressed with her school choir and asked them to sing with him at Indaba Hotel in the early 90s. Little did she know that this was the beginning of a long friendship which lasted for a long time and had many stories.

Mazwai remembers Masekela as an individual who was opinionated and funny. “He was mad, human, imperfect, talented and giving. He passed away with a life packed full of stories, a true legend”, she told Jazz It Out. The Hugh Masekela in the book “Still Grazing”, which he co-wrote with D. Michael Cheers, is exactly who he was in real life. At one stage, Mazwai and Masekela were neighbours who resided in Yeoville. “I also met his daughter, Paula, who came to our high school and saw me singing in the choir”, she added.

Thandiswa Mazwai. Picture supplied

She chuckles as she recalls the day she saw the legendary trumpeter walking across the street in Newtown and shouted that he should feature her while working on “Sixty”. He gave a brief response which was “come tomorrow” and the rest is history. Thandiswa has a vivid memory of what happened at the recording studio. “I was very nervous. I was just a kwaito kid who went to that studio and ended up being featured in two songs” she said.

As the festival is getting closer, she has dozens of her favourite songs by her dear friend, and is spending a lot of time scouring archives to make the selection. Recently, a Jazz club has been opened in Johannesburg to honour the legacy of this icon who was affectionately known as Bra Hugh. However, she does think enough is done to keep his memory alive. “As a country, we do very little to honour anything in the arts that’s a travesty”, she asserted.

With regards to the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, Thandiswa confesses that she has played at several festivals but it remains one her favourite. “Always with a stellar lineup and international artists that audiences can relish. The team has held it down for over two decades and this is an incredible accomplishment”, she concluded. The only way to find out how she plans to honour her dear friend Hugh Masekela is to make your way to the Sandton Convention Centre on 25 and 26 September.