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By Way of South Africa By Way of a Dream
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New York Times, By Way of South Africa By Way of a Dream >>
The music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the 10 man chorus from South Africa, was supposedly inspired by a dream its leader , Joseph Shabalala, had in 1964 in which he saw and heard a group of children singing in an incomprehensible language. In concert on Thursday night at Town Hall, after more than 30 years of performing, Ladysmith Black Mambazo continued to imbue its music with a haunting, ethereal, dreamlike quality. Its seven bass voices and two of its three tenors sand such close harmonies and with such subtle nuances that they sounded like one deep, rich, resonant and proud voice. Mr. Shabalala wove his tenor in and out of the group's sustained chords, leading the chants, asking questions, encouraging the group and providing counterpoint. Ladysmith Black Mambazo sings its own disciplined version of the a cappella music- known as isicathamiya- of Zulu workers transplanted to South African mines and factories. Though the group has released more than 30 albums (the latest is the exquisite "Liph' Iqiniso" on the Shanachie record label) and has been extremely influential in its home country since the early 1970's, it remains best known for appearing on Paul Simon's 1986 "Graceland" album and tour. Mr. Shabalala described Mr. Simon as "very tall because of his mind" before performing "Homeless," a song they had written together, on Thursday. The concert was a benefit for a school the band seeks to open in Colenso, a small town in South Africa. Though Ladysmith Black Mambazo's music is rooted in contemporary South African culture- from its high kicking and stop-stomping dances to its songs about conditions in the mines and apartheid- between numbers it often talked about the universality of its music and themes. Besides singing in English, French, Zulu and various African dialects and adding touches of doowop, gospel and reggae to its music, the group had more than enough vocal harmonies to back up its messages of universal harmony. Much of Ladysmith Black Mambazo's humor was predicted on its perfection and discipline. The band sweetened its music with simple but effective jokes that usually involved having one member fall off pitch while singing or out of step while dancing. It was almost a way of showing off, of proving just how fragile the band's soundscapes are, of just how carefully every voice has been placed into a song, of how easily serious themes can be transformed into joyous and celebratory music. And it worked. 02/25/95
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