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Hugh Masekela was a renowned South African flugelhorn, trumpet, and cornet player, born on April 4, 1939, in Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa. He became a prominent figure in the jazz scene, particularly after being exiled to the United States in 1961 as part of the anti-apartheid campaign. During his time in the U.S., he was influenced by various artists and collaborated with notable musicians. Masekela was inspired in his musical journey by Trevor Huddleston, a British priest who provided him with his first trumpet. Masekela was an integral part of the Sophiatown music scene and later traveled to Britain with the musical "King Kong" before arriving in New York in the early 1960s. He achieved significant success in the United States with pop-jazz hits such as "Up, Up And Away" and the number one hit "Grazing In The Grass." His 1987 single "Bring Him Back Home" became an anthem for the movement to free Nelson Mandela. After the end of apartheid, Masekela returned to South Africa, where he rediscovered his African roots and collaborated with West and Central African musicians. He eventually reconnected with South African artists by setting up a mobile studio in Botswana during the 1980s, incorporating mbaqanga strains into his music. Masekela continued to evolve his sound after returning to South Africa in

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