Masego Brings the Beats to Boston

Words & photos by Sarthak Panda / See full gallery from this night here

March 31st, 2023 — With sunglasses and saxophone in hand, Jamaican American singer-songwriter Masego took the stage at the House of Blues in Boston

As the smooth notes of “Navajo” floated through the air, the crowd roared as Masego walked out. The lights came down, illuminating the plants, percussion, and shining saxophone on a sold-out stage.

Sporting his stylish and relaxed fit, Masego took no time to set the crowd to his rhythm. The melodies of soul, jazz, and R&B fused sounds echoed through his singing, with his showmanship, ad-libs, and hello to Boston only exciting the crowd more. And as if the crowd couldn’t get louder, he walked slowly over to his signature saxophone.

The House of Blues name couldn’t have been met better by another artist as Masego gently but gracefully picked up the saxophone and brought it to his lips, complementing the percussion and guitarists with a smooth groove that has captured the hearts of fans the world over.

The crowd smiled, moving their heads to the rhythm, and sang the lyrics of Masego’s new tracks from his self-titled album. From “What You Wanna Try” to “Sax Avenue” to “Black Anime” the crowd from all levels cheered and while the crowds in the very back were dancing everywhere with pure glee and energy as each song invited a carefree sense of happiness. 

Masego then brought on stage what seems to be his favorite vegetable: Yams.

A can of yams. Perfect for bringing his song “Yamz” to life. And it that wasn’t enough, him juggling some yams on stage definitely let you know this artist was a performer through and through.

With his silky voice and sax notes, Masego brought the beats as he walked over to a drum kit. The drums brought color to his roots as he played them just as passionately as his saxophone. He continued to bring the culture as he wrapped a Jamaican flag around his body and sang “Two Sides”, with the crowd singing the chorus’ lyrics “I’m So Gemini” right on cue.

As he continued through his hits from his EP to his other albums, he showed everyone his signature swag and style on each one. With him pushing through different genres, he’s brought something new to the table. A funky and smooth sound complemented with a regal attitude — something he let be known as he wore his crown for a personal favorite of mine “King’s Rant”. With a lively band behind him and a bombastic production team, he brought the mood and style to the venue.

And the crowd recognized it. Especially when Masego invited a girl from the crowd on stage as he circled her, serenading her with his saxophone, bringing a sense of playfulness and soul with his every step. 

 The concert came to an end as Masego thanked everyone for being at the show, but as the crowd chanted his name, it was a call that he couldn’t end the night without his most popular song — “Tadow”.

The airy strings filled the room as the lights illuminated the stage again. Masego stepped back with a grin, knowing well that the crowd wouldn’t miss hearing the smooth sound from a song that brought him to these heights many years ago. The saxophone took lead as it complemented the strings with his vocals covering the verses. 

With each “Tadow”, the music got more lively with Masego showing the crowd a different version of the song — a high-energy chorus as the band came all together to hit a crescendo of the show as he raised his saxophone into the air.

It was an experience to behold and one that cemented him as the master of soul and funk, pushing the genre to a new level with modern touches of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. 

As he says in “King’s Rant” —

“So don't be talkin' 'bout Masego is slept on.”

Masego is here to stay and will surely continue charming the world.