⭐ Official Review Main Event Live [Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela]

[Rudy]

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

Released 1978
Peaked at #31 on the Jazz Albums Chart (1978)

Release information

Vinyl: SP-4727; also on cassette and 8-track

Purchase

Locate CD at: forthcoming
Download from Amazon | iTunes
Locate vinyl on: eBay

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

(Originally posted by @Captain Bacardi)

The December, 2015 release marks the first time that the You Smile--The Song Begins album will appear in lossless digital format. Digital download and streaming release date was December 4, 2015, with CD to follow in early 2016.

 

[Rudy]

December 4, 2015 marks the day that this Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela album, Main Event Live, was released in digital lossless form, for the first time. It will be released on CD in early 2016.

As with any recording that is decades old, sound quality can be variable. The worst of the age-related issues on this recording are minimal--just the occasional tape dropout at times, and they are barely audible. There is also the very slight dulling that occurs with magnetic tape over time, something many listeners would not even notice, but might reveal itself in close comparison to the vinyl copy if the listener is equipped with better playback equipment.

When this album was originally released, I was a bit surprised at how quickly it had arrived after the first Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela collaboration. I had it soon after on a cassette, and would get the vinyl a few years later. (Thankfully, as those early A&M cassettes left a lot to be desired!) The original vinyl is quite the sonic treat. This was a very well engineered remote recording, and it just begs to be cranked up. Fortunately the original sonics of the vinyl lose little in this remastered translation to the digital format.

While the studio Herb/Hugh album had its own jazz angle to it, this album expands on it even more with the addition of trombonist Mosa Jonas Gwangwa. The album leaps out of the gate with "Foreign Natives" (with plenty of room for soloing) and doesn't let up for its entire 49-plus minutes. "People Make The World Go 'Round" gets a nice smoldering take here, the brass's searing lines set against the chill background. Beside the cover of the classic "Besame Mucho," much of the album has a consistent African flavor to it, a little more relaxed vibe than the tighter funk often found on the original Herb/Hugh project.

 

[Rudy]

Some comments from past discussions:

I still remember the excitement of listening to this album when it first came out. I was in the Air Force at the time and living in my first apartment with a new stereo system. "Foreign Natives" simply blew me away. I kept thinking "is this really Herb blowing that horn? Man, this is great!" Obviously for me, trombonist Mosa Jonas Gwangwa - Hugh Masekela's cousin - was another highlight, both with his horn and his compositions. It still sounds fresh today and "Foregin Natives" still gives me goosebumps. My other favorites are "Mama Way" and "She-Been". Still hoping this will be reissued on CD with some bonus tracks!

Boy ain't that the truth! Since they had the recording gear set up, I'm betting there are a lot more tracks in the can. It would be neat to hear how the band did some of his earlier songs, too, with different arrangements. Mr. Bill was at one of those tapings, IIRC.

No earlier recordings (TJB) were done, though, as he does today they put a lick or two of Lonely Bull and Taste of Honey ina couple tunes and when Herb and Hugh intorduced each other, Hugh said, "and form Tijuana, Mr. Herb Alpert!" They did most of the songs form the first album but not "African Summer."

The live versions of the tracks from the first Herb/Hugh album would be a neat addition.

Absolutely! I would love to hear a live version of "Lobo" and "Skokiaan" especially.

"Lobo" was break sng with each ember leaving the stage after an impressive solo. IIRC only the bass player and drummer never left the stage. But it's been a few years. Man, a video would've been awesome!

Herb and Caiphus Semenya had co-produced Letta Mbulu's albums, which is what gave Herb the impetus to record African music. When those sessions didn't quite work out he called Stewart Levine, but Hugh Masekela - who was staying at Levine's home - happened to answer the phone. After talking a bit Herb thought about the possibility of collaborating with Hugh and called him back to talk about it. The rest, they say, is history.

Was looking up tracks of thus album here to see which tracks on this album were written by Jonas Gwangwa, whose music I happen to really like (and first discovered on this album), and noted Captain's comments about Foreign Natives.

Mr Gwangwa did a new recording of this excellent tune on his album, Songs From Exile. I highly recommend. Alas, only available here in digital formats.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I'm looking forward to getting this on CD and revisiting it. One of my home-made Herb compilations opens with "Foreign Natives" and I still get a huge kick out of that song today. It's fun to picture the band playing, and then you can imagine Herb and Hugh walking out on the stage when you hear that burst of applause. This is the kind of music I kinda wish Herb would do with his current band -- more driving stuff.

 

[Rudy]

Herb, Hugh and Mosa made a great horn-driven frontline. Same configuration as the TJB, but a lot more funky. Both of the Herb/Hugh albums knocked it out of the park, IMHO. I know I was totally unprepared for what I heard when the needle first dropped on "Skokiaan." And it was finally an album I could play among peers without being accused of playing "old fogie music".

 

[David S]

I've said this before here but I will say again that this is one of my favorite records, period. I was introduced to the music of both Hugh Masekela and Jonas Gwangwa from it, and South African music generally, an intellectual debt for which I am deeply grateful. I own most of what is available for purchase of both men. Have seen Mr Masekela three or four times live but never have had the pleasure for Mr Gwangwa. I do feel that more folks should know about Mr Gwangwa and his contribution to SA music and culture.

I bought this from iTunes and I will get the CD. With a sensori-neural hearing loss, it wasnt feasible for me to get this from HDTracks because I doubt I'd notice auditory subleties like an audiophile would. That said, I think this sounds really great. I do notice that I hear bass much clearer now. Much better than the "needle drop" I've suffered with for years.

For "Foreign Natives" - a fun tune - see my previous note to check out Gwangwa's recording on Songs from Exile.

I like the version of Besame Mucho here better than ones subsequently done. Shebeen is a great tune. Again, I'd check out Gwangwa's recording on Flowers of the Nation (a terrific record). Skokiann has been recorded by a few folks over the years: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skokiaan

Would be nice to hear a remaster of the Herb Alpert Hugh Masekela album. If that gets released again, though I own the original CD, I'll purchase it.

drs

 

[Rudy]

The original LP of this album sounds fantastic! But I lucked out in not playing it very much (I first had it on cassette, which got the bulk of the plays), so my copy is nearly like new. I had a needle drop from who knows where, and it does sound horrible--lots of groove wear.

This is one of the albums I am really excited to get from HDTracks. For a remote recording, it is one of the better ones I have heard.

 

[toeknee4bz]

Just my two cents' worth: MAIN EVENT LIVE was the first vinyl record purchase I ever made, way back in the summer of 1982. Since the 80s, I've waited an eternity to hear the album in digital format any way I could...
FINALLY!!! SO GLAD that I now have this album in a format where I don't hear all of the ticks, pops and white noise accumulated over the years on my vinyl copies (and I took religious care of my vinyl, by the way). Audiophiles may nitpick, but I'm pretty doggone happy. Same applies for the eponymous HERB ALPERT/HUGH MASEKELA album, as well as BEYOND.

 

[Bobberman]

I still have my vinyl copy of Main event Live which i originally bought sealed and brand new in late 1982 and i was really impressed by the everything the songs the lineup of musicians and the fact it is a " Live" Recording ( though it sure didnt sound like your average live album of the time the quality was Superb to begin with) im looking forward to the CD release even though my vinyl copy is still in Top notch condition. By the way my copy only cost me $2.00 when i first bought it. In 82. But it was the best $2 i spent that season.

 

[Rudy]

I have to say, many of my 80s A&Ms play back nicely, hardly any noise whatsoever. And some will have even less noise as I put them through the cleaning process.

 

[Bobberman]

I have to say, many of my 80s A&Ms play back nicely, hardly any noise whatsoever. And some will have even less noise as I put them through the cleaning process.

I concur with you about the 80s A&Ms mine are still in immaculate shape since they havent been played very much over the years. My copy of Herb's BYOH for example is the purple like audiophile pressing. I knew those particular see through vinyls ( what i called them.) Were special and still are.

 

[toeknee4bz]

... looking forward to the CD release even though my vinyl copy is still in Top notch condition. By the way my copy only cost me $2.00 when i first bought it. In 82. But it was the best $2 i spent that season.

I knoooow whatcha mean! I bought mine for $2.99 plus tax (4% back in 82. WOW!) for a grand total of $3.11 in the upstairs discount bargain bin at Sears, Volusia Mall in Daytona Beach, FL.

Just recently I downloaded it and it sounds great!

 

[Rudy]

I concur with you about the 80s A&Ms mine are still in immaculate shape since they havent been played very much over the years. My copy of Herb's BYOH for example is the purple like audiophile pressing. I knew those particular see through vinyls ( what i called them.) Were special and still are.

The purple was, I think, KC-600 vinyl. I unfortunately gave away or traded my pristing Synchronicity for what has turned out to be a very lackluster CD. That LP sounded excellent. And I've had almost zero luck finding a top quality first pressing again, in that condition. The reissued A&M/CTi records (the SP-9-3000 Audio Master Plus series) also used it.

There were other vinyl formulations out there, such as the Quiex that was used on some records (like first pressings of Fagen's The Nightfly). And Mobile Fidelity had a different formulation, used from the mid 70s onward, that had a brownish cast to it. ECM Records had some with a brownish cast, as did the A&M Audiophile series from Canada which were mastered, plated and pressed at the Japan Victor Company (JVC) alongside the Mobile Fidelity product. Many of A&M's top releases back then were on the KC-600 or other virgin vinyl. Joe Jackson's Body and Soul, Big World and Will Power were all on the better vinyl as well.

 

[Bobberman]

The purple was, I think, KC-600 vinyl. I unfortunately gave away or traded my pristing Synchronicity for what has turned out to be a very lackluster CD. That LP sounded excellent. And I've had almost zero luck finding a top quality first pressing again, in that condition. The reissued A&M/CTi records (the SP-9-3000 Audio Master Plus series) also used it.

There were other vinyl formulations out there, such as the Quiex that was used on some records (like first pressings of Fagen's The Nightfly). And Mobile Fidelity had a different formulation, used from the mid 70s onward, that had a brownish cast to it. ECM Records had some with a brownish cast, as did the A&M Audiophile series from Canada which were mastered, plated and pressed at the Japan Victor Company (JVC) alongside the Mobile Fidelity product. Many of A&M's top releases back then were on the KC-600 or other virgin vinyl. Joe Jackson's Body and Soul, Big World and Will Power were all on the better vinyl as well.

That explains it My first pressing copy of Bullish is also on virgin vinyl too. It really Rocks.

 

[Rudy]

I bought a sealed Bullish several years ago and cracked it open, but I don't know if it was the virgin vinyl or not. I'll have to check when I get a few minutes.