| Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela | |
| Type: | live |
| Artist: | Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela |
| Cover: | Herb Alpert & Hugh Masekela – Main Event Live.jpg |
| Border: | yes |
| Released: | 1978 |
| Recorded: | 1978 |
| Venue: | The Roxy, A&M Sound Stage |
| Genre: | Jazz |
| Label: | A&M SP-4727 |
| Producer: | Herb Alpert, Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa |
| Chronology: | Hugh Masekela |
| Prev Title: | Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela |
| Prev Year: | 1978 |
| Next Title: | Home |
| Next Year: | 1981 |
Main Event Live is collaborative live album by Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California, and released in 1978 via A&M Records label.[1] [2]
Richard Ginell of AllMusic stated: Let the good times roll,' Herb Alpert seemed to say as he quickly rejoined forces with Masekela for a follow-up LP to their first collaboration earlier that year. Recording live at the Roxy Theatre and on A&M's soundstage without duplicating anything on their earlier studio album, the two horn players (Alpert on trumpet, Masekela on flugelhorn) are, if anything, looser and more freewheeling than before. Though Alpert is not on quite as sure a jazz footing as Masekela, neither musician tries to blow the other out of the room. The band, containing only one holdover (guitarist Arthur Adams) from the first album, is more attuned to Latin funk/jazz with a South African tinge this time. Again, Alpert and Masekela have mostly fine tunes to work with, none better than 'Foreign Natives' and 'Shame the Devil' by African trombonist Mosa Jonas Gwangwa, plus Henry Sithole's wistfully haunting 'Mama Way' (which has chanted vocals and a string quartet). This album and its predecessor had the effect of recharging Alpert's music, though both are almost forgotten today".[3]
A reviewer of Dusty Groove wrote: "Masterful live set by Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela – recorded at The Roxy in LA in 1978! Both their studio record from the same year and this massive live recording work incredibly well – as they're both geniuses and blending distinctive global influences – but they really cook in this live session in a way that's smoothed over a bit in the studio!"[4]