Praise for the Analogue Productions 33 1/3 2LP edition of Hope:
"How sad, if timely: this stunning reissue of the 1994 live album arrived in the very week that trumpeter Masekela passed away. One of the most successful ambassadors ever for African music, his fusing of the continent's rhythms and instruments with contemporary jazz and rock proved irresistible. Nearly every one of you has heard him, thanks to guess spots with The Byrds and Paul Simon. His breakthough hit from 1968 — the infectious "Grazing in the Grass" — is here, along with another 11 tracks recorded at Blues Alley, the U.S. club that gave us Eva Cassidy. Notably, despite its early-1990s origins, this is all-analogue." — Sound Quality = 90% - Ken Kessler, HiFi News, May 2018
"...The high quality original mix plus Analogue Productions' superb mastering has resulted in a terrific, very transparent sonic with great impact." - John Henry, Audiophile Audition
"...Hope is one of those intensely visceral, large as life, and immediately present recordings that will make pretty much any system sound at least very good, and will cause better ones to raise goose bumps." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, August 2008
What more can be captured from the masterpiece that the late trumpet great Hugh Masekela left devoted fans, the effervescent Hope. Now cut at 45rpm and spread over four 180-gram premium LPs, you're about to discover the answer to that question. The eight sides of vinyl reduce distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. And this set is plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings. Virtually silent surfaces coupled with sharp delineation of musical detail are QRP pressing hallmarks.
Two Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on gatefold jackets house the four LPs, which are contained in a custom-designed slipcase reproducing the original artwork.
A longtime audiophile demonstration disc, Hope will show off your system's dynamic range as well as any record ever released. Hugh Masekela, the outstanding South African trumpeter, assembled a seven-piece group and recorded this great set live at Washington, D.C.'s Blues Alley. The songs stretch over a period of nearly five decades and serve as an informal guided tour of Masekela's life. The songs are honest and bare, and as for the sound — WOW!
Unlike a prior 45rpm version that included seven songs, this 45rpm reissue contains the full program as originally recorded with all 12 tracks included! Plus, an added bonus, a special insert — featuring an exclusive interview with Grammy/Emmy Award-winning engineer David Hewitt, who recorded Hope originally.
"Hugh's record is right up near the top for a lot of reasons," Hewitt says.
Hewitt and his team were afforded the time they needed, and they pulled out all the stops to pull off what's now recognized as an all-time great recording. They used better-quality microphones, they were micing the room for ambient sound, and Masekela was performing for a sophisticated and appreciative audience.
"We used stuff from our stash of mics as opposed to what you'd find typically at a jazz club. We actually had control via the record label and producers, so we could take our time. We had the ability to mic the room for abient sound. ... you've got people that actually know and appreciate the music and respond accordingly. What you've got there is all the right stuff at the right time and the right people, and then something magical happens."
Listen to that magic unfold — put on this Analogue Productions 45 RPM 4LP reissue of Hope, and be transported.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
Abangoma (The Healers)
Uptownship
Side 2:
Mandela (Bring Him Back Home!)
Grazin' in the Grass
Side 3:
Lady
Side 4:
Languta
Side 5:
Nomali
Side 6:
Marketplace
Ntyilo Ntyilo (The Love Bird)
Side 7:
Ha Le Se (The Dowry Song)
Until When
Side 8:
Stimela (The Coal Train)
Recording information:
Title: Hope
Artist: Hugh Masekela
Genre: Pop-Rock
Media: 4x 180g LP Vinyl Stereo 45rpm, Limited, Remastered, . Mastered from Original Master Tape. High Quality Vinyl.
Label: Analogue Productions
Cat#: AAPJ-117-45
Released: 10.10.2019 in US
Original release: 1994 by Triloka Records 7203-2
EAN: 07530880117473
Discogs rel.#: 14251071
