The members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo trotted onto the stage of Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art Friday night with the energy of teenagers, their trademark white shoes winking in the stage lights.

They chimed right into the title track of their new CD, “Raise Your Spirit Higher.” The nine men (down from their usual 10 – Thamsanqa Shabalala was under the weather) set up a wall of harmony that didn’t let up until the end of the night.  They proved in a two-hour performance that there is strength in gentleness.

Lead singer Joseph Shabalala’s light, smoky tenor wafted over the warm, comfortable cushion of sound laid down by the ensemble.  With a depth and richness that seems as if it comes directly from the Earth, their voices filled the sold-out auditorium.  Each song made use of short repeated lined with rhythms that shifted and pulsated.  Whistled, bird sounds, spoken interjections and the characteristic clicking of the Zulu language added to the texture.

Nearly as impressive as the singing were the group’s high-kicking, leaping dance steps.  The gymnastics, catlike dancing dates back to the birth of Mambazo’s style of singing, known as isicathamiya.  Workers in South African mining camps would dance until the wee hours of the morning trying not to wake the security guards.  This, they acquired the nickname, Cothoza Mfana – “tip-toe guys.” 

Love songs were the focus of the first half of the concert, songs with a more serious, spiritual message the second.  The opening song of the second set, “Kwakumnyama,” reflected the Christian aspect of isicathamiya (“The task before us is no greater than the power behind us”).  Each of the songs was lengthy and hypnotic, with only 12 pieces performed in two sets, including the encore.

A spirit of gentle humor and goodwill permeated the evening.  As the audience was filing out into the warm night, Shabalala came on stage once more to offer a benediction to the crowd, singing “peace” and “we love you.” As the whole concert felt like a blessing, it was a fitting end.