Masekela concert “epitomises everything the Commonwealth is about”
On 10 March at London’s Barbican an audience of nearly 2000 people gathered to celebrate the start of Commonwealth Week with performances from jazz legend Hugh Masekela and rising star Zara McFarlane. Organised in partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation, the concert gave the crowd a hearty serving of the rich culture the Commonwealth has to offer.
Host Hardeep Singh Kohli welcomed the lively audience to the concert. Setting the scene for the celebratory flavour of the evening’s entertainment, he explained: “This evening epitomises everything the Commonwealth is about, bringing a diverse range of talents together.” Introducing Masekela, he put it simply as the man that put “ahhh” into jazz.
Masekela and his band took to the stage to upbeat applause, his charisma evidently reaching out to all corners of the auditorium. His set was a pleasant mixture of new arrangements and old favourites, with the audience assuming the role of extended band member in many. As the songs rolled on, many of the people in attendance will have been recalling Masekela’s active role during apartheid South Africa. Speaking in last week’s Observer New Review, he said: “…the uprising had become a way of life in our culture and we grew up with rallies and strikes and marches and boycotts. (…) I grew up with it and at the time I got international notice I was from South Africa, and my resource was South African music, so it would have been very awkward not to mention the circumstances in whatever I was doing, because I came from those people and I sourced from them.”
Masekela was true to the “Celebrating the Commonwealth” concert billing throughout his impressive two-hour set. When he wasn’t singing or playing the flugelhorn he treated us to something from his vast array of percussion instruments, accompanied by a suite of skilful dance moves. In a real-life example of this year’s Connecting Cultures theme, Masekela invited the audience to take part in a call-and-response session with his band, to which he exclaimed “You folks are on fire tonight. Are you sure you’re not from Soweto?”
Perhaps the highlight of the evening was an epic rendition of Masekela’s classic, “Stimela (The Coal Train)”, which he dedicated to those around the world who have been affected by natural disaster and urged us to care for our environment. “Send a small prayer of love to those less fortunate” he insisted.
The concert was opened by Zara McFarlane who treated the audience to a selection of songs from her debut album, Until Tomorrow. Her warm personality drew in the audience while her seamless mix of soulful jazz resonated around the hall. Reflecting her Jamaican heritage, McFarlane’s cover of Junior Murvin’s “Police and Thieves” was a captivating performance.
Speaking after the concert, the Commonwealth Foundation’s Director Mr Vijay Krishnarayan said “Tonight’s concert was a wonderful success. Hugh and Zara made from an impressive line-up; two formidable artists engaging a packed house with rousing performances in celebration of the start of Commonwealth Week. We’re delighted to have had this opportunity to share a glimpse of the creative talent the Commonwealth has to offer and the power of culture as a force for social change.”