GRAZING IN STRAWBERRY FIELDS

Miriam Makeba recorded “Strawberries” in 1961 on an Harry Belfonte-produced album called “The Many Voices Of Miriam Makeba.” The two of them sent me through music school in New York and created a first break for me when they had their contractor Al Brown come and get me out of class at Manhattan School of Music to come and play on four tracks on the album. Jazz D.J. Symphony Sid played this track every night on his WEVD radio program “Jumping With Symphony Sid” and this got me my first recognition and praise from American listeners and the music industry. My muted trumpet wailed hauntingly behind Makeba’s melancholy cries, even reaching musicians like Don Laka down in South Africa so much so that in 1997, when he was to produce our “Black To The Future” album, he insisted that we do it. I will never forget the sweet little girls from Mmabana Centre in Mafikeng who came to sing it with us, they made a beautifully innocent and sweet song out of it. Thank you little girls, thank you Ms Makeba, thank you Mr Belafonte, thank you my dear brother Don Laka. (Hugh Masekela, 2000)

Strawberries (Hugh Masekela)

“I remain an ardent admirer of Ms Makeba’s compositions, she is probably the most prolific writer to come out of Southern Africa.” (Hugh Masekela, 2000)

Strawberries (Miriam Makeba - 2003)

Miriam Makeba recorded “Strawberries” in 1961 on an Harry Belfonte-produced album called “The Many Voices Of Miriam Makeba.” The two of them sent me through music school in New York and created a first break for me when they had their contractor Al Brown come and get me out of class at Manhattan School of Music to come and play on four tracks on the album. Jazz D.J. Symphony Sid played this track every night on his WEVD radio program “Jumping With Symphony Sid” and this got me my first recognition and praise from American listeners and the music industry. My muted trumpet wailed hauntingly behind Makeba’s melancholy cries, even reaching musicians like Don Laka down in South Africa so much so that in 1997, when he was to produce our “Black To The Future” album, he insisted that we do it. I will never forget the sweet little girls from Mmabana Centre in Mafikeng who came to sing it with us, they made a beautifully innocent and sweet song out of it. Thank you little girls, thank you Ms Makeba, thank you Mr Belafonte, thank you my dear brother Don Laka. (Hugh Masekela, 2000)

Strawberries (Hugh Masekela)

“I remain an ardent admirer of Ms Makeba’s compositions, she is probably the most prolific writer to come out of Southern Africa.” (Hugh Masekela, 2000)

Strawberries (Miriam Makeba - 2003)