Colonial Man
{{Short description|1976 studio album by Hugh Masekela}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Colonial Man
| type = studio
| artist = Hugh Masekela
| cover = Colonial Man - album cover.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = 30 January 1976
| recorded = c. 1975–76 in New York and Chicago
| venue =
| studio = Capricorn Studios (New York), Good Vibrations Studios (New York), The Hit Factory (New York), Regent Sound (New York), Curtom Studios (Chicago)
| genre = Jazz
| length =
| label = Casablanca NBLP-7023
| producer = Hugh Masekela
| prev_title = The Boy's Doin' It
| prev_year = 1975
| next_title = Melody Maker
| next_year = 1976
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
}}
Colonial Man is the eighteenth studio album by South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela.{{cite web|title=Hugh Masekela - Biography|url=https://www.amoeba.com/hugh-masekela/artist/116209/bio|website=Amoeba Music|publisher=amoeba.com|accessdate=13 July 2017}} It was recorded in New York and Chicago and released on LP{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Masekela-Colonial-Man/release/1371652|title=Masekela* - Colonial Man|website=Discogs|year=1976 |language=en|access-date=25 August 2018}} and eight-track cassette{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Hugh-Masekela-Colonial-Man/release/10093573|title=Hugh Masekela - Colonial Man|website=Discogs|year=1976 |language=en|access-date=25 August 2018}} on 30 January 1976 via the Casablanca Records label.{{cite web|title=Hugh Masekela: Colonial Man|url=https://www.discogs.com/Masekela-Colonial-Man/release/1371652|website=Discogs|year=1976 |publisher=discogs.com|accessdate=17 May 2016}}{{cite web|title=DISCOGRAPHY: 1970–1979|url=http://www.dougpayne.com/hmd7079.htm#RECONSTRUCTION|publisher=dougpayne.com|accessdate=13 May 2016}} The album's title song "Colonial Man", "Vasco Da Gama" and "Cecil Rhodes" express African anti-colonial sentiments.{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Tymon|title=Hugh Masekela's still pushing buttons at 76|url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/lifestyle/2015/11/22/Hugh-Masekela%E2%80%99s-still-pushing-buttons-at-76|website=The Sunday Times|publisher=timeslive.co.za|accessdate=17 May 2016|date=22 November 2015}} At the time of its release, it was referred to variously by reviewers as a concept album{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/17780734/?terms=%22colonial+man%22+%22hugh+masekela%22|title=4 May 1976, Page 15 - Tucson Daily Citizen at Newspapers.com|work=Newspapers.com|access-date=25 August 2018|language=en}} and a protest album.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/188956603/?terms=%22colonial+man%22+%22hugh+masekela%22|title=16 May 1976, Page 125 - Green Bay Press-Gazette at Newspapers.com|work=Newspapers.com|access-date=25 August 2018|language=en}}
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 1st and 3rd 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 {{sic|it's}} silly title and cover!"{{cite web |title=Hugh Masekela: Colonial Man |url=https://www.dustygroove.com/item/443679/Hugh-Masekela:Colonial-Man |publisher=Dusty Groove |accessdate=12 July 2018}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| collapsed =
| headline =
| title1 = A Song for Brasil
| writer1 = Hugh Masekela
| length1 = 4:13
| title2 = Vasco Da Gama
| note2 = The Sailor Man
| writer2 = Hugh Masekela
| length2 = 5:28
| title3 = For the Love of You
| writer3 = O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley
| length3 = 8:25
| title4 = Colonial Man
| writer4 = Hugh Masekela
| length4 = 5:04
| title5 = Witch Doctor
| writer5 = Hugh Masekela
| length5 = 7:31
| title6 = Cecil Rhodes
| writer6 = Hugh Masekela
| length6 = 5:13
}}
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
- 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
- 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 as part of The Boy's Doin' It. "A Song for Brazil", "Colonial Man" and "Witch Doctor" feature on the 2018 posthumous compilation of original recordings: Masekela '66–'76.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Hugh-Masekela-Masekela-66-76/master/1399944|title=Hugh Masekela - Masekela '66 –'76|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=25 August 2018}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.hughmasekela.co.za/index.php/discography}}
{{Hugh Masekela|state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Casablanca Records albums