Joburg Theatre recently hosted a four-day tribute to Hugh Masekela. We were there to see it for ourselves.
On opening night, the energy started building long before the show. The foyer was already active. People were taking photos, moving between displays, and spending time with memorabilia that brought Masekela’s presence back to life. His horn, placed at the centre of it all, drew a quiet sense of reverence and awe.
Presented with the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation, the production brings together artists shaped by his influence across jazz, Afro-soul and contemporary African music. The audience reflected that range too. Older fans who grew up with his music sat alongside younger listeners discovering it in real time.
The show itself does not try to recreate Masekela. It leans into what he stood for. Collaboration, mentorship and connection across borders.
Vusi Mahlasela grounded the evening early on. His performance felt conversational, almost like storytelling set to music. Judith Sephuma followed with a sense of familiarity and control that comes from having shared stages with Masekela before. There is a confidence in how she holds the music.
Zoe Modiga brought a different tone. Softer, more interpretive. Her set felt like a bridge between generations. Then Tresor shifted the energy, bringing in a more continental pop influence that still sat comfortably within the tribute.
Baobab Sisters and iComplete added movement and vocal texture throughout the night.
Direction by James Ngcobo keeps the show tight without losing its warmth. Under Sydney Mavundla’s musical direction, the trumpet holds its place at the centre.
What stands out most is how the audience responds. There are moments of stillness, then sudden bursts of singing along. People know these songs. Not just the words, but what they meant at different points in time.
It didn’t feel like a retrospective because his music still carries so much weight, and some of the questions Masekela raised about identity, freedom and belonging still feels relevant.
