Hugh Masekela

Hugh Masekela was a South African flugelhorn, trumpet, and cornet player. He gained international recognition for his music during the anti-apartheid campaign and became an influential figure in jazz ensembles. His single "Bring Him Back Home" became an anthem for the movement to free Nelson Mandela. After apartheid ended, Masekela returned to South Africa and continued to collaborate with musicians from West and Central Africa.

Born on April 4th, 1939 in Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa, Masekela's musical journey began with inspiration from Trevor Huddleston, a British priest who financed his first trumpet. He made a name for himself playing in The Jazz Epistles and eventually found success in the United States with hits like "Up, Up and Away" and "Grazin' in the Grass".

Throughout his career, Masekela reconnected with his African roots through collaborations with musicians from various regions of Africa. In the 1980s, he set up a mobile studio in Botswana where he incorporated mbaqanga strains into his music. Since returning to South Africa in the early-1990s, he continued to use this style while working with local artists.

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