Hugh Masekela – Melody Maker (Vinyl LP | US Original | 1976)

Hugh Masekela – Melody Maker is an album by South African trumpeter and flugelhornist Hugh Masekela, released on Casablanca Records in 1976 (cat. no. NBLP 7036). It was produced by Masekela and Stewart Levine and recorded at D & B Studios in Silver Spring, Maryland, and American Star Studios in Fairfax, Virginia. The record blends West African highlife and Afrobeat with funk and soul: it opens with the nine-minute Hi-Life and also features a version of the Eagles' The Best Of My Love, the title track and Toejam. Masekela is backed by a band with Ghanaian and Nigerian musicians. This copy is the 1976 US original pressing with the original inner sleeve; the sleeve has a cut-out mark.

Pressing details

• Label / Cat. no.: Casablanca NBLP 7036
• Format: Vinyl LP, Album
• Pressing: US original
• Country: USA
• Year of this pressing: 1976
• Genre: Jazz, Afrobeat, Soul & Funk
• Extras: Original inner sleeve (OIS)

Condition

• Condition: Second hand
• Media: NM-
• Cover: VG+, cut-out mark

Graded to Goldmine standard (see Vinyl Grading). The images are our own scans of the actual copy for sale.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Hi-Life (Adelaja Gboyega/Hugh Masekela/Yaw Opoku)
2. The Best Of My Love (Don Henley/Glenn Frey/J.D. Souther)
3. Melody Maker (Hugh Masekela)
4. Dance (Hugh Masekela/Stanley Todd)

Side B

1. Toejam (Hugh Masekela/Jagger Niisai Botchway/Yaw Opoku)
2. I'll Make You Feel Alright (Stanley Todd)
3. Come On Home (Hugh Masekela)
4. Melodi (Hugh Masekela)

Personnel

Hugh Masekela (flugelhorn, trumpet, producer), Adelaja Gboyega (keyboards), Jagger Niisai Botchway (guitar), Stanley Todd (guitar, organ), Yaw Opoku (bass), Papa Frankie Todd (drums), Asante (percussion), Eka-Ete (vocals); backing vocals: Side Effect (The Best Of My Love, Melody Maker) and Theatre West (Dance).

Produced by Hugh Masekela and Stewart Levine (also engineer).

FAQ

Is this the original pressing?
Yes. This is the 1976 US first edition on Casablanca, cat. no. NBLP 7036, with the original inner sleeve.

What does "cut-out" mean?
Cut-out copies were taken out of regular stock by the label or retailer and marked with a small notch, hole or cut on the sleeve. The record itself is not affected.

What does Media NM- / Cover VG+ mean?
NM- (Near Mint minus) for the record means close to new with at most minimal signs of use. VG+ (Very Good Plus) for the sleeve means light wear. All grades are explained on our Vinyl Grading page.

Do you have more Hugh Masekela records?
Yes, for example Hugh Masekela – Tomorrow. More titles are in our Afrobeat collection.