Masekela Dies at 78

By DownBeat I Jan. 23, 2018

Hugh Masekela (foreground) performs during the International Jazz Day 2015 Global Concert at UNESCO on April 30, 2015 in Paris, France.
(Photo: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images for Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz)

South African trumpet, flugelhorn and cornet player Hugh Masekela died Tuesday in Johannesburg, according to news reports.

The bandleader, who succumbed to cancer, was 78.

“A loving father, brother, grandfather and friend, our hearts beat with profound loss,” Masekela’s family wrote in a note posted to his social media accounts. “Hugh’s global and activist contribution to and participation in the areas of music, theatre and the arts in general is contained in the mind and memory of millions across six continents ... .”

Masekela’s career stretches back to the 1960s as Apartheid still was a daily part of South African society. With music, he was able transcend the racist rule of law and would become an internationally celebrated performer, collaborating with the likes of The Byrds and Paul Simon.

Among his most famous recordings is “Grazing In The Grass,” an instrumental track that became an international hit in 1968.

A full obituary will be posted to the DownBeat website in the coming days. DB