Phola (album)

2008 studio album by Hugh Masekela

Phola

Studio album by

Hugh Masekela

Released| 19 February 2008 (2008-02-19)
Studio| Zatiya Studios, Playsound Studios, Pyramid Rox Studios (Johannesburg)
Genre| Jazz
Length| 55:13
Label| Four Quarters Entertainment 97012
Producer| Erik Paliani
Hugh Masekela chronology
| Live at the Market Theatre
(2007)  | Phola
(2008)  | Jabulani
(2012)

|
|

Phola is a studio album by South African jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela. The record was released on 19 February 2008 (2008-02-19) via Four Quarters Entertainment label.[1]

Phola is a South African notion meaning to get well, to heal, to relax and chill.[2]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [3]
All About Jazz| [4]
The Guardian| [5]
Tom Hull| B+[6]

Michael G. Nastos of AllMusic stated: "Hugh Masakela's recordings in his golden years have been much more rooted in his South African heritage than the commercialized music he played in his younger days. Thankfully, that trend continues with this very fine effort that has him playing his own original material, his storied silver flugelhorn with all the effusive joy his homeland can now proclaim, and singing on every selection, telling tales of renewal, resurrection, and revived positivity... In the decade of the 2000s, Hugh Masakela has come into his own more than at any other time in his long career, and Phola is a shining example that he's still in his prime, making excellent music with no turning back."[3]

Robin Denselow of The Guardian wrote: "Phola is a new set in which his flugelhorn and vocals are matched against mostly light and easygoing backing from the keyboards, guitar and bass work of his Malawian producer and arranger, Erik Paliani. It's a varied album that switches between breezy instrumentals, township vocals and gently sturdy ballads such as the autobiographical Ghana."[5] Kerry Doole of Exclaim! added, "Flugelhorn is his chosen instrument here, and there's a sweet purity in its tone. His vocals aren't quite as eloquent as his horn but are easy enough on the ears, as on the soulful (and possibly autobiographical) ballad "Sonnyboy." ... It would have been nice to hear a few more musical chances being taken here but he has earned the right to rest on his laurels somewhat. A pleasant enough outing."[7]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Mwanayu Wakula"| Erik Paliani| 4:52
2.| "Ghana"| Masekela| 5:25
3.| "Bring It Back Home"| Masekela| 5:31
4.| "Malungelo"| Masekela| 5:56
5.| "Moz"| Masekela| 5:35
6.| "Sonnyboy"| Masekela| 7:15
7.| "Weather"| Masekela| 5:34
8.| "The Joke of Life (Brincar de Viver)"| Guilherme Arantes, Jon Lucien| 6:05
9.| "Hunger"| Masekela| 9:00
Total length:| 55:13

## Personnel

[edit]

Band

* Hugh Masekela – executive producer, flugelhorn, vocals
* Jimmy Dludlu – guitar (acoustic), tracking
* Denny Lalouette – bass
* Stewart Levine – clarinet
* Arthur Tshabalala – Fender Rhodes, piano (electric)
* Fana Zulu – bass

Production

* Yusuf Gandhi – release coordinator
* Burton Yount – package design
* Garrick Van Der Tuin – audio engineer, mixing
* Erik Paliani – arranger, audio production

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Hugh Masekela – Phola". Discogs. discogs.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
2. ^ "Hugh Masekela – Phola". The Urban Music Scene. theurbanmusicscene.com. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
3. ^ a b Nastos, Michael G. "Hugh Masekela: Phola". AllMusic. allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
4. ^ Payne, Douglas (20 March 2009). "Hugh Masekela: Phola". All About Jazz. allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
5. ^ a b Denselow, Robin (19 June 2009). "Hugh Masekela: Phola/Beatin' Aroun de Bush". The Guardian. theguardian.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
6. ^ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Hugh Masekela". Tom Hull. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
7. ^ Doole, Kerry (13 March 2009). "Hugh Masekela Phola | Exclaim!". Exclaim!. Retrieved 7 June 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Hugh Masekela

Studio albums|

* Trumpet Africaine (1962)
* Grrr (1966)
* Hugh Masekela's Next Album (1966)
* The Emancipation of Hugh Masekela (1966)
* Hugh Masekela's Latest (1967)
* The Promise of a Future (1968)
* Africa '68 (1968)
* Masekela (1969)
* Reconstruction (1970)
* Hugh Masekela & The Union of South Africa (1971)
* Home Is Where the Music Is (1972)
* Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz (1973)
* I Am Not Afraid (1974)
* The Boy's Doin' It (1975)
* Colonial Man (1976)
* Melody Maker
* You Told Your Mama Not to Worry (1977)
* Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela (1978)
* Home (1982)
* Techno-Bush (1984)
* Waiting for the Rain (1985)
* Tomorrow (1987)
* Uptownship (1989)
* Beatin' Aroun de Bush (1992)
* Notes of Life (1996)
* Black to the Future (1998)
* Sixty (2000)
* Time (2002)
* Revival (2005)
* Almost Like Being in Jazz (2005)
* Phola (2009)
* Jabulani (2012)
* Friends (2012)
* Playing @ Work (2012)
* No Borders (2016)
* Rejoice (2020)

Compilation albums|

* The Best of Masekela (1969)
* Stimela (1994)
* The Best of Hugh Masekela on Novus (1999)
* Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela (2001)
* The Collection (2003)
* Still Grazing (2004)
* The Chisa Years: 1965–1975 (Rare and Unreleased) (2006)

Live albums|

* The Americanization of Ooga Booga (1966)
* Hugh Masekela Is Alive and Well at the Whisky (1967)
* The Lasting Impression of Hugh Masekela (1968)
* Main Event Live (1978)
* Hope (1994)
* Live at the BBC (2002)
* Live at the Market Theatre (2007)

Singles|

* "Up-Up and Away"
* "Grazing in the Grass"
* "Skokiaan"

Books|

* Still Grazing (2004)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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