🎵 AotW AOTW: Herb Alpert & Hugh Masekela - MAIN EVENT - LIVE

[Captain Bacardi]

Herb Alpert & Hugh Masekela
MAIN EVENT - LIVE
A&M SP-4727

Released 1978

Format: Vinyl/Cassette/8-Track

Produced by Herb Alpert, Hugh Masekela and Mosa Jonas Gwangwa
Associate Producer: Don Hahn

Songs:

• 1. Foreign Natives (Mosa Jonas Gwangwa) - 9:15
  2. People Make The World Go 'Round (Thom Bell/Linda Creed) - 5:36
  3. Besame Mucho (Consuelo Velazquez) - 4:14
  4. I'm Comin' Home (Herb Alpert) - 5:22
  5. She-Been (Mosa Jonas Gwangwa) - 3:30
  6. Kalahari Nights (Mosa Jonas Gwangwa) - 6:24
  7. Shame The Devil (Mosa Jonas Gwangwa) - 6:58
  8. Mama Way (Henry Sithole) - 5:50

Musicians:
Herb Alpert - Trumpet
Hugh Masekela - Flugelhorn, Vocals (8 )
Mosa Jonas Gwangwa - Trombone, Vocals (8 )
Larry Willis - Piano, Synthesizer & Electric Piano
Arthur Adams - Guitar
Jeff Sigman - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar (8 )
Manolo Badrena - Percussion, Snare Drum (3)
David Williams - Upright and Electric Bass
Buddy Williams - Drums
Tommy Tedesco - Acoustic Guitar (3)
Michael Boddicker - Sythesizer Programming (3, 5, 6)
String Quartet: Charles Veal, Jr., Kenneth Yerke, Denyse Buffum and Ray J. Kelly (3, 4, 8 )
Orchestrated by Michel Colombier
Caiphus Semenya - Vocals (8 )

Recorded Live at the Roxy and A&M's Sound Stage
The remote truck for the Roxy recording was provided by The Record Plant

Engineered by Don Hahn and Derek Dunann
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: GRAFIS
Photography: Bonnie Schiffman
Inner Sleeve Photography: Jim McCrary




Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike Blakesley]

While this isn't one of my favorites, as much as Herb is into jazz these days I'd bet this is one he'd love to see reissued -- with bonus tracks from the same concert, if any exist. (Wonder if they played any old TJB tunes, or "Grazing in the Grass" maybe?)

I really enjoy the opening tune a lot. You can tell when Herb walks on stage by the thunderous applause!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

While this isn't one of my favorites, as much as Herb is into jazz these days I'd bet this is one he'd love to see reissued -- with bonus tracks from the same concert, if any exist. (Wonder if they played any old TJB tunes, or "Grazing in the Grass" maybe?)

I believe Mr. Bill was at one of the shows and said they also played "Skokiaan", "Lobo" and "Grazing In The Grass". I remember Herb saying at the time that he didn't want to do any TJB stuff with Hugh because those songs just didn't fit with what they were doing at the time.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I don't play this album that often, but I think it's pretty darned solid for what it is. I normally don't like live recordings, but on this one, the ensemble playing is tight, and these are all new songs that we hadn't yet heard by Herb & Hugh, which makes it more appealing to me. Took me a few years to get it on vinyl, but I'd owned the cassette practically since it came out. I agree a reissue of this would be nice, with plenty of room for additional tracks, recreating the entire concert. (I'm sure the masters still exist.)

Four stars.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I kind of feel sorry for the composer of "Mama Way" - I wonder how much teasing he went through as a kid because of his last name.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I remember how excited I was when this album first came out. I usually had heard about upcoming releases but this was a total surprise. Finally, Herb Alpert "live"! This was an excellent opportunity for Herb to get away from the TJB sound, and he pretty much took advantage of the situation. "Foreign Natives" is a perfect opener, and the whole band was in the right groove. Manolo and Buddy Williams were a great match on percussion and drums, and David Williams' opening bass solo was very funky. "People Make The World Go 'Round" seems to be a perfect song for Herb and Hugh, and the high-flying horns towards the end even had me going "Yeah!" Things got a little stale halfway through "Besame Mucho" before Herb picked it up again. "She-Been", which was on an earlier Masekela album, is another treat and a nifty song for any horn. "Kalahari Nights" almost seemed as if it were written with Alpert in mind. My second favorite tune was "Mama Way".

Obviously for me one of the highlights is the trombone work of Mosa Jonas Gwangwa (Masekela's cousin, incidentally). While he may not be the most technically proficient 'bone player, he has a lot of excitement in what he plays. His songwriting skills are also good. This was a hip band and I only wish Alpert & Masekela toured more cities. 4 very solid stars from me!



Capt. Bacardi