Hugh Masekela Brings His Magic to NJPAC

Hugh Masekela brings his mix of jazz and pop to R&B, disco and Afro-Pop to the Arts Center’s intimate Victoria Theater.

[Music]
 
Fresh off the release his newest CD, “Jabulani,” South African trumpet-and vocal-superstar Hugh Masekela headlines the inaugural Alternate Routes Cheza! Festival of African Music at NJPAC February 24-25.

An Afropop Dance Party featuring Sean Barlow, aka DJ Prince Segue Segue, spinning sounds from across the African continent kicks off the festival.

On Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 7:30pm, Masekela brings his mix of jazz and pop to R&B, disco and Afro-Pop to the Arts Center’s intimate Victoria Theater. The festival begins on Friday, February 24 at 7:30pm when DJ Prince Segue Segue, the creator of the nationally syndicated radio program Afropop Worldwide, spins old-school Afro-Pop—rumba, soukous, salsa, samba, Afrobeat, chimurenga, juju, Manding swing and mbalax—as well as some of the new generation of dance favorites like coupé décolé, kuduro, baile funk.

Tickets are $48 and $58 for Masekela and $16 for the dance party, and are available by telephone at (888) 466-5722, at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark, and at www.njpac.org.

To purchase tickets for groups of 10 or more, call (973) 297-5804. The festival is made possible in part by American Express and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
 
Hugh Masekela first picked up the trumpet in 1954. His music reflects his upbringing as a boy in Witbank, South Africa combined with his interest in the sounds created by African America musical pioneers such as Duke Ellington, Horace Silver, Ma Rainey and many others.

Masekela was inspired to hone his trumpeting talent by Kirk Douglas’ portrayal of American jazz trumpeter Bix Beiderbeck in the film “Young Man With A Horn.” After leaving South Africa during Apartheid, Masekela, with help from Miriam Makeba and Harry Belafonte, began recording.  Masekela has performed across the world, toured with Paul Simon, conceived a Broadway Musical, “Sarafina”, created the Botswana International School of Music, and has recorded dozens of albums.

At the end of January, Masekela released Jubulani, his new CD, as part of the Listen 2 Africa Series from Listen 2 Entertainment Group. Sometimes wise, sometimes comical, oftentimes both, the 11-song set includes many traditional songs that date back several generations in South African wedding tradition.

DJ Prince Segue Segue –Sean Barlow– is the creator and producer of public radio’s “Afropop Worldwide,” the first nationally syndicated program in the US devoted to world music, and www.afropop.org

Hosted by Georges Collinet from Cameroon, the program reaches listeners throughout the US, Africa and Europe. He consults for numerous festivals, educators, film-makers, and venues.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102. Tickets available at www.njpac.org (888) 466-5722 or at the box office at 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ. NJPAC, Box Office Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, Noon to 6pm. Sunday, Noon to 5pm. Monday: CLOSED.

Programming has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. NJPAC is a wheelchair accessible facility and provides assistive services for patrons with disabilities.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *