Sunday Music: Hugh Masekela

I caught Hugh Masekela last Sunday at NJPAC. The younger Jazzboy plays the trumpet (his first instrument is the computer, actually, and the music he makes on it is really quite good), so Mrs. Jazzman and I thought this would be good family outing. It was.



Masekela is 75 and is really amazing; he's a ball of energy on stage, playing, singing, dancing, telling stories, and just generally being great. His band is tight, tight, tight. I don't know what it is about African musicians, but the best have this ability to play with the time while keeping the groove in the pocket that's just remarkable. Masekela had this kid playing guitar with him who was phenomenal - the whole band was great.

As I told the Jazzboy on the way out: there are few things better in this life than watching and listening to a group of musicians who can really play. On this point, we agreed, there is no generation gap.