The spirit of Miriam Makeba lives on in this all-star celebration curated by and featuring a fellow giant of South African music, legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela.

Tonight’s incredible line-up also features the distinct, powerful voice of South Africa's Vusi Mahlasela, plus two of the nation’s most charismatic singers of today’s generation, Thandiswa and Lira.

‘Hugh Masekela performs with magisterial ease. He's as much a charismatic orator as musician, sending trumpet lines plunging and soaring.’  Telegraph

Mama Afrika brings together some of the finest vocal talent the continent has to offer to pay tribute to Makeba, who died in 2008 at the age of 76. The former Johannesburg club singer became a voice for the anti-apartheid struggle in her native South Africa, and was exiled for 31 years under the regime. 

South Africa's 'The Voice' Vusi Mahlasela, celebrated for his distinct, powerful voice and poetic, optimistic lyrics, plus award-winning Thandiswa – who created a massive impact when she guested with Tony Allen at the Barbican last October – and influential female vocal trio The Mahotella Queens, who opened for Hugh Masekela at last year’s London Jazz Festival. An extraordinary opportunity to re-live the music of Africa's greatest voice. 

Podcast: Out Of Africa #14

Out Of Africa – An in-depth trip throughout world music and global beats from an African perspective!! As an intro for this show, we kick off with Cochemea (“All My Relations”) …we then travel to the blues by the Bongo Ikwe, from Nigeria…as some say, the blues came from Africa,…

Artists: Alton Ellis , Americo Gazaway , Augustus Pablo , Bongos Ikwue , Cochemea , Cornell Campbell , George Clinton , Hot 8 Brass Band , Hugh Masekela , Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra , Lwanda Gogwanda , Michael Wimberly , Nithin Sawney , Rocky Marsiano , Songhoy Blues , The Sorcerers , Toshio Matsuura Group , Yoruba Soul Mix

Podcast: Rendez-Vous à Bobo – A Rendez-Vous from the Archives with Hugh Masekela (March 2021)

The new episode of Rendez-Vous à Bobo is a rendez-vous “from the archives” with the late great Hugh Masekela. Lucas Keen interviewed Masekela back in 2006, when he was just starting out in radio. Featured album of the month is Indaba Is out now on Brownswood Records + Some well known and…

Artists: Bokani Dyer , Hugh Masekela

Your Ticket to… 2020 (in 20+1 Albums)

Hard to believe that such a dire and dramatic year could inspire such an abundance of remarkable albums. Or maybe, on the contrary, the multitude of emotions sparked by the pandemic and our new life’s circumstances might have been the main reasons why musicians were able to write, record and…

Artists: AKKAN , Al Breadwinner , Bab L’Bluz , Chouk Bwa , Clap! Clap! , Derek Gripper , DUMA , Hugh Masekela , Khruangbin , Let Drum Beat , Nat Birchall , ONIPA , Santrofi , Son Rompe Pera , Songhoy Blues , Spoek Mathambo , The Ångströmers , The Sorcerers , Thundercat , Tony Alln

Album Review: Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela – Rejoice [World Circuit Records; March 2020]

With the very recent passing of Tony Allen, this set of recordings has special significance. He and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela had been planning on making a record together for years and in 2010 this finally was about to become a reality. Producer Nick Gold got the two titans…

Artists: Hugh Masekela , Tony Allen