> Born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank South Africa, Masekela was, in the late 1950s, an original member of the Jazz Epistles, reputed to be the first jazz band in South Africa that also included Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand). Their record Jazz Epistle: Verse 1 is the first South African jazz recording. The two men, Brand and Masekela, arguably South Africa's most well-known musicians of any genre, reunited in 2016 for a performance in Johannesburg. Studying in London and the US, Masekela, who also played cornet, played at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. He also guested on a pair of Byrds recordings: "So You Want to Be A Rock and Roll Star" and "Lady Friend," and his 1994 recording "Stimela (Coal Train)" was a staple at audio shows in the late 1990s and early oughts. Not surprisingly, he toured with Paul Simon during his Graceland tour, a move that stirred protests against him.
A vocal foe of apartheid, Masekela was only able to return to South Africa in 1990 after having been banished by authorities in 1960 the same year the ANC was banned and the Sharpeville massacre occurred. Over his long career, Masekela recorded 40 albums, his best on the UNI label, though he somehow recorded four albums for Neil Bogart's Casablanca Records in the mid-'70s. He remained an active live performer up until his death. While there are a number of videos showing Masekela performing live on Youtube, including one in a Virginia club that is an iPhone video of him giving a hilarious rap before "Grazing in the Grass," check out this pro shot performance in South Africa.
