Hugh Masekela RIP

The South African trumpeter - one of the father figures of African Jazz - has died  at the age of 78 peacefully in his home in Johannesburg. Through an international career, which spanned more than 5 decades he played with well known musicians and singers in a huge variety of styles – from Township Jazz (with the Jazz Epistles) the fiercely political jazz of the emigration years (Soweto Blues) to the disco-pop of  and the collaborations with Paul Simon on "Graceland" 

His last interview!

and here are some of my favourite tracks:

as a singer of a protest song: Coincidence

an ode to his instrument: Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet

Afrobeat Blues 

"The Boy's Doin' It" album is a blend of his favourite music styles: 

jazz, funk, pop, Afrobeat, and R&B, plus a little Latin and a lot of disco

His tribute to Afro beat Pioneer Fela Kuti

Lounge music with Herb

His take on Calypso: Getting Fat In Africa

and as relevant as when it came out in 2002: Everything must change

His rant against perennial presidents of African nations, asking them to leave office!

This electro funk disco track was a dance chart hit!

Some of his best live collaborations:

With his ex wife Miriam Makeba:

His classic song Stimela (The Coal Train) live

with Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo

with Dave Matthews Band: Proudest Monkey 

Goodbye bra Hugh, you will be surely missed!

Listen  here to the Hugh Masekela Special Edition Mixtape
Track info: Jazz on 45 Vol. 5 compiled by Todd Simon

So which is your favourite heritage track of  Masekela? 

Please nominate in the comments and don't forget 
feedback is always appreciated!

more here:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/23/hugh-masekela-obituary
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/24/hugh-masekela-dead-jazz-afrobeat-apartheid-anthems
https://hughmasekela.co.za/

Happy New Year!

So I hope you all had a Merry Xmas and now I wish you a funky New Year!

with a good cheer courtesy of The Godfather of Funk

and a classic piece of heavy funk!

Jon Hendricks RIP

Jon Hendricks dead at 96

veteran Vocalese singer and lyricist.

Thank you for all the witty lyrics, wonderful singing and 

being a great teacher to generations of Vocalese singers!

His breakthrough came with the outstanding Trio

Lambert Hendricks and Ross Doodling Song

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross - Sing a Song of Basie (Full Album)

Joe Williams with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross - Every Day I Have the Blues

He performed his lyrics with many Jazz greats over the years:

Art Blakey with Jon Hendricks "Moanin"

Jon was a great influence on the vocal Quartet Manhattan Transfer 

and was featured on their Vocalese album:

He performed also many times live with the band:

Jon Hendricks & The Manhattan Transfer

He was teacher and mentor to Bobby McFerrin

and didn't shy away from modern Jazz

Jon Hendricks, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau 

"Freddie Freeloader" (by Miles Davis)

Live on the Arsenio Hall Show

Obituaries:

In 1997, he was in a touring ensemble that performed 

Wynton Marsalis' Pulitzer Prize-winning "Blood on the Fields". 

Pippi meets Renaldo!

Who would have thought this could work together:

Pippi meets Renaldo!

Pippi Longstocking, the anarchic girl, 

a hero of our childhood days

created by Astrid Lindgren

and played by Inger Nilsson

in the classic TV version 

with a soundtrack by

Renaldo & The Loaf:

Ow! Stew The Red Shoe

No wonder the author of this blog turned into an anarchistic sound freak!

Xmess upon us

via GIPHY

Yeah it's this time of the year again, when the bells are jingling un every shopping mall:

The count down to the most beloved/hated season has started again!

Here are a few recommended Xmas blogs for both sides compiled by connoisseurs of the genre:

Christmas à gogo

Christmas shareo

Punk-Christmas

Mistle tunes

Hif-fi-holiday

barbarian beach party

If you want to get in the right seasonal spirit 

check out my Christmas special podcast:

Click & listen to

Profane Xmess

John Peel remembered

The day of dead has just passed (2 Nov.), so if you are feeling like listening to the legendary DJ 

broadcasting from beyond the grave again: Here are loads of John Peel shows waiting for you!

I discovered him in the 80's on British Forces Network on air in Westberlin and got hooked.

I met him personally many years later during Womex in Berlin (2000) and discovered then 

that he was a very nice and down to earth bloke as well.

Listening outside your comfort zone and keeping an open ear for things to come 

was his life long ambition:"I just wanted to hear something I haven't heard before!"

You are surely missed, John!

"The Nation needs you" by the Cuban boys

http://www.johnpeelcentre.com

http://www.johnpeelarchive.com/

Don Letts explores John Peel's record collection

http://www.johnpeelarchive.com/don-letts

John Peels Record Box documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_aUFuZA9oo

John Peel's Autobahn Blues documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-IVl-o7gZo

Goodbye Fats Domino!

With Antoine "Fats" Domino death on the 24th October (my birthday) - after Chuck Berry in March -another influential founding father of  what is known now as Rock'n Roll all over the world is gone.

His song "The Fat Man" is widely considered the first rock-and-roll record to have sold more than  a million copies by 1951. Between 1955 and 1960, he had eleven Top 10 hits.Many of his songs are covered by some of the greatest rock & pop singers & musicians:

Lenny Kravitz - Whole Lotta Loving feat Maceo Parker, Rebirth Brass Band, Fred Wesley

Blueberry Hill has been covered by many artists, but my favourite far out version is from Jah Wobble from his 1st solo EP: 

Goodbye Fats! Thanks for the great tunes you gave us!

Listen to a Tribute radio show to Fats Domino by Paul Jones

Obituaries:

Rolling Stone

Independent

Paul McCartney Writes Tribute to Fats 

http://patrickmurfin.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/fats-domino-will-tickle-ivory-on.html