''Colonial Man'' is the eighteenth studio album by South African trumpeter

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

. It was recorded in New York and Chicago and released on LP and eight-track cassette on 30 January 1976 via the

Casablanca Records Casablanca Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. Under its founder Neil Bogart, Casablanca was most successful during the disco era of the mid to late 1970s. The label current ...

label. The album's title song "Colonial Man", " Vasco Da Gama" and " Cecil Rhodes" express African anti-colonial sentiments. At the time of its release, it was referred to variously by reviewers as a concept album and a

protest A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooper ...

album.

Reception

A reviewer of Dusty Groove wrote: "A later album from Hugh Masekela – but still plenty darn hip, way more so than most of the other artists on the Casablanca label at the time! Hugh's South African groove is still very firmly in place here – mixed with a slightly warmer LA soul sound, but expanded with loads of great arrangements that get a lot more complicated than before – and which bring in some great keyboard and percussion bits. Sivuca makes a wonderful appearance on 2 tracks – using that blend of voice and accordion that sounds so great – and the whole record's got a depth and sense of soul that you'd never guess from silly title and cover!"

Track listing

Personnel

*Art direction, design – Gribbitt!, Stephen Lumel *Backing Vocals – Deborah McDuffie (tracks: 1 3 6), Maeretha Stewart (tracks: 1 3 6), Patti Austin (tracks: 1 3 6) *Bass, vocals – Yaw Opoku *Director –

Stewart Levine Stewart Levine (born 1946) is an American record producer. He has worked with such artists as The Crusaders, Minnie Riperton, Lionel Richie, Simply Red, Hugh Masekela, Dr. John, Randy Crawford, B.B. King, Huey Lewis and the News, Patti LaBelle ...

*Drums (traps) – Papa Frankie Todd *Electric piano – Adaloja Gboyega *Accordion and voice - Sivuca (track 1) *Engineer – Rik Pekkonen *Guitar – "Jagger" Botchway *Guitar, vocals – Stanley Todd Kwesi *Mastering –

Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan, and Mi ...

*Photography – David Alexander *Saxophone, percussion, vocals – O. J. Ekemode *Shekere, percussion, vocals – Odinga "Guy" Warren *Talking drum, percussion, vocals – Asante *Trumpet, vocals – Hugh Masekela

Re-releases

As of 2018 the album has not been released in its entirety on CD or as digital downloads. Compositions "Colonial Man" and "A Song for Brazil" were re-released on CD in 1998 on

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon ...

as part of ''

The Boy's Doin' It ''The Boy's Doin' It'' is the seventeenth studio album by South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in New York City and in Lagos, Nigeria, and released in June 1975 via Casablanca Records label. The album was re-released on CD in 1 ...

''. "A Song for Brazil", "Colonial Man" and "Witch Doctor" feature on the 2018 posthumous compilation of original recordings: '' Masekela '66-'76''.

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1976 albums Hugh Masekela albums Casablanca Records albums Cultural depictions of Vasco da Gama Cultural depictions of Cecil Rhodes