HUGH MASEKELA — Hugh Masekela & Siparia Deltones : Siparia to Soweto (review)

HUGH MASEKELA — Hugh Masekela & Siparia Deltones : Siparia to Soweto album cover Album · 2023 · African Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Renown South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela's posthumous album, "Siparia to Soweto", contains the recordings he made during his visits to the Caribbean isle of Trinidad in 2012-2016. Masekela recorded all of these songs with the leading domestic steel pans orchestra, Siparia Deltones, and now these songs are being released for the first time ever.

The album's opener, "The Meeting Place", invites the listener to a colorful world of Caribbean calypso, with Masekela singing and playing trumpet solos over the danceable steelpan pulsations. Song after song, the musicians demonstrate all of the kaleidoscope of Afro-Carribean styles, danceable and with sparkling energy.

Predominantly Caribbean (thanks to the steel pan sound and specific region rhythms), the album's music contains some songs with stronger South African township vibe (such as "Lady" or "Mae Mae"). Possibly, the main attraction to this album is how well the two different, but strongly related, musical cultures fit together showing their similarities, while demonstrating obvious differences.

Similar to many better albums of similar music, this warm, emotive and colorful fest of life is a true relief when the days become shorter and the sun is more and more a rare guest on the greyish North European sky and the first snowflakes indicate the winter is not too far away.
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