The Promise of a Future

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The Promise of a Future
Studio album by
Released1968
Recorded12–14 March 1968
StudioGold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California
GenreJazz
Length29:57
LabelUni Records 73028
ProducerStewart Levine
Hugh Masekela chronology
Hugh Masekela Is Alive and Well at the Whisky
(1967)
The Promise of a Future
(1968)
Africa '68
(1968)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

The Promise of a Future is the eighth studio album by South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela released via Uni Records label.[3] It was recorded in March 1968 in Los Angeles, California.[4][5] The album was re-released on CD in 1993 on One Way label. The Promise of a Future features Masekela's version of a famous instrumental composition "Grazing in the Grass".

Reception[edit]

A reviewer of Dusty Groove stated: "Classic work from Hugh Masekela – and the album that pushed him over the top! The record features his version of 'Grazin In The Grass', a runaway instrumental hit when it was issued – and a sly little groover that was based upon some earlier South African pop melodies that Hugh copped from his roots. The group's a tight little quintet with Al Abreu on tenor and soprano sax, William Henderson on piano, Chuck Carter on drums, and Henry Franklin on bass."[6] A reviewer of Billboard added: "Fluent in any musical lingo, Masekela and his crowd should sample all the charts before settling down."[7]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ain't No Mountain High Enough"Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson2:00
2."Madonna"Al Abreu3:10
3."No Face, No Name and No Number"Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood3:26
4."Almost Seedless"Hugh Masekela3:36
5."Stop"Jerry Ragovoy, Mort Shuman2:35
6."Grazing in the Grass"Harry Elston, Philemon Hou, Hugh Masekela2:40
7."Vuca" (Wake Up)Hugh Masekela3:40
8."Bajabula Bonke" (The Healing Song)Miriam Makeba6:25
9."There Are Seeds To Sow" (Guitar – Bruce Langhorne)Hugh Masekela2:25

Personnel[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Davis, Hank. "Hugh Masekela – The Promise of a Future". Allmusic. allmusic.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (27 May 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1203. ISBN 9780857125958. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Hugh Masekela - Biography". Amoeba Music. amoeba.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Hugh Masekela: The Promise of a Future". Discogs. discogs.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  5. ^ "DISCOGRAPHY: 1955-1969". dougpayne.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Hugh Masekela: Promise of a Future". Dusty Groove. dustygroove.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1 June 1968. p. 85. Retrieved 4 November 2019.

External links[edit]