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Masekela Revolutionized Philly

HUGH MASEKELA has "many happy memories" of Philadelphia. In turn, Philadelphians owe him a great debt.

HUGH MASEKELA has "many happy memories" of Philadelphia. In turn, Philadelphians owe him a great debt.

"During my early years as a recording artist, Philadelphia radio was very kind to me, way ahead of the curve," he recalled. "Jimmy Bishop and Butterball [Joseph "Butter" Tamburro], at WDAS, were great friends. And on the jazz station [WHAT-FM], Sid Mark and Joel Dorn were terrific supporters.

"I loved Joel. What a character, so hip. Years later, when he had his own record label, he handed me his business card. And where others would identify themselves as 'CEO,' he had printed 'EIEIO.' "

Masekela said that he scored "the house record for attendance" at the Showboat Jazz Theatr, on Lombard Street. "The owners [Herb, Jerry and Allen Spivak] really worked me hard - matinees on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, then three sets at night. Every show sold out."

His Hotness then was called upon to star at the Spivak-sponsored Quaker City Jazz Festival, the first concert at a struggling new South Philadelphia arena called the Spectrum, on Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 1967.

The show did so well that another Jazz Fest with Masekela would later play the venue. And the Spivaks were so encouraged, they formed Electric Factory Concerts, opening a much larger music club and bringing lots of shows to the Spectrum.

Among them would be two Paul Simon "Graceland" shows in June 1987, in which Masekela and former wife Miriam Makeba were special guests.

"Paul was taking a lot of heat from antiapartheid groups for ignoring the cultural embargo, visiting and working in South Africa with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and other local musicians," Masekela said. "There were pickets outside the Spectrum. But it was all nonsense. Paul was doing the movement so much good with that music.

"The concerts were so militant. Miriam and I came on the bill to show support. And when Nelson Mandela got out of jail, Simon was one of the first people he invited to come visit."

- Jonathan Takiff