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RECORDS: CLASSIC TRACKS IN HARMONY - Live RAISE YOUR SPIRIT
HIGHER NO BOUNDARIES LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
| Language: | Zulu |
| Genre: | Zulu/modern a capella song |
On the Internet Article Music samples
The group got their name from the little South African town of Ladysmith, from whence their leader of many years, Joseph Shabalala, hails. The other half of the name is a nod to the Black Mambazo group "Black Axe", active in South Africa during the 1950s. Joseph Shabalala, who started the group, is a former member of the singing group "Blacks". They won quite a few singing competitions, but Shabalala didn't continue with them. He felt that something was missing and he heard "a voice inside him". A short time later Shabalala became a Christian, and the music he developed was a meld of what he heard in church and so-called mbube.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo released their first album, "Amabutho" in 1973. It was the first album to sell 25,000 and went to gold in South Africa. The disk later sold many times that number. The number in the group has varied between 7 and 13 members, but the style has always remained the same: mbube. This is a singing style that has developed among the back working class in the Natal province in South Africa, where the people are mainly Zulus. The population grew as a result of the industrialisation of South Africa in the 1930s and people worked in the mines and factories in the area. Many were commuters and went home only on weekends. So, local a capella singing competitions were often arranged. In 1939 the Solomon Lindas Original Evening Birds had a hit with their song, "Mbube" (Love), that became a benchmark for the a capella Zulu singing style.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo had their international breakthrough when they sang on Paul Simon's "Graceland" album in 1986. In 1988 Paul Simon produced their first American release, "Shaka Zulu" - it won a Grammy for Best World Music Recording and sold over 100,000 copies around the world. Ladysmith Black Mambazo have recorded over 30 albums, and are today among South Africa's most popular musical ambassadors.
Relevant artists: Miriam Makeba Vusi Mahlasela Mahotella Queens
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Last Modified:
22 nov 2009
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A compendium album comprised of 14 tracks from Ladysmith's releases in South Africa in the 1970s and 80s. The group contains 7 bass voices, one alto, one tenor, in addition to Joseph Shabalala's solo voice. The group is varied and the deep bass goes right into one's body. The mbube-style is sophisticated, with several layers of voices that change tempos and melody lines. It's interesting and enjoyable to hear when you take the time to really listen. So, take the time!
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IN HARMONY - Live
Shanachie/1999
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RAISE YOUR SPIRIT HIGHER Heads Up/2004
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NO BOUNDARIES Heads Up/2005
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LONG WALK TO FREEDOM 
Heads Up/2006
This is another compilation from Ladysmith Black Mambazo. All these songs, except for one, "Thula Thula", has been released before. Still the group and record company Heads Up have managed to make a new and interesting record. This is achieved by inviting several musical celebreties to sing with Ladysmith. This could easily have become a "cultural clash", but the artists who have been picked, fits well into the Ladysmith concept, and add new dimensions to the a capella sound. The first "new" artist to join, is Marie Daulne, from Zap Mama. She has done a lot of a capella singing herself, especially in the early days of Zap Mama's career, and she seems to feel confortable among the Ladysmith gentemen in "Hello my baby". A very sensous contribution.
There is always a danger that a whole record with only a capella songs will become a bit monotonous, no matter how good, but this is solved by inviting not only new voices, but also a few instrumetalists. The best tracks on this album are in fact the classic "Mbube", including Taj Mahal's rough voice and yes, his guitar. It fits perfect into this cycle of songs. So does Hugh Masekela's trumpet in "Shosoloza", also featuring Lucky Dube, Vusi Mahlasela and others in this hypnotizing song.
In general this album is another step forwards for Joseph Shabalala's incredible project. After more than 30 albums there should be no reason not to initiate some careful experiments. This works!
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KJØP PLATE Editor: Bjørn-Erik Hanssen
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