South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo will kick off the new year with an extensive tour of the US.
The outing is set to launch Jan. 15 in Concord, NH, and stop by theaters and college venues all over the country through mid-March. The itinerary is listed below.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo has been touring North America and Europe since April. The group is currently trekking through the UK and will be overseas through early December. International dates can be found at its website.
The Grammy-winning outfit continues to support its 2006 set, "Long Walk to Freedom," which comprises 12 new recordings of classic Mambazo songs. Guest vocalists on the record include Sarah McLachlan, Melissa Etheridge, Emmylou Harris, Natalie Merchant, Taj Mahal and a bevy of South African artists including Lucky Dube. An album sampler is streaming at Ladysmith Black Mambazo's MySpace page.
Lead vocalist Joseph Shabalala formed Ladysmith Black Mambazo in the mid-'60s and has seen the group through more than 40 albums and 12 Grammy nominations. The a capella singers reached a whole new world of fans in the mid-'80s when Paul Simon incorporated their Zulu harmonies into his "Graceland" album.
In 1987, Simon produced Mambazo's first US release, "Shaka Zulu," which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album.
In addition to its work with Simon, the group has recorded with a slew of artists including Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, The Wynans, George Clinton, Ben Harper and Josh Groban. It has also provided material for several movie soundtracks, advertising campaigns and theater productions.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo's next album, "Ilembe," is currently available in South Africa and the UK, and will be released in the US next year, according to the group's website.
[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
January 2008
15 - Concord, NH - St. Paul's School
16 - Pittsfield, MA - Colonial Theatre
18 - Cambridge, MA - Sander's Theatre
19 - Troy, NY - Troy Music Hall
20 - Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center
22 - Charlottesville, VA - Paramount Theater
23 - Baltimore, MD - Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
25 - Ithaca, NY - State Theater
26 - New York, NY - B.B. King Blues Club
27 - Harrisburg, PA - Sunoco Performance Theater
30 - Akron, OH - E.J. Thomas Hall
February 2008
1 - Morrow, GA - Clayton State University
2 - Gainsville, FL - Philips Center For Arts
8 - Omaha, NE - Holland Performing Arts Center
9 - Grinnell, IA - Harris Center
10 - St. Louis, MO - Touhill Performing Arts Center
12 - Mississippi State, MS - Mississippi State University
14-15 - Baton Rouge, LA - Manship Theater
16 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall
17 - Lake Charles, LA - Lakes Charles Civic Center
18 - Ft. Worth, TX - Bass Performance Hall
20 - Albuquerque, NM - Kiva Auditorium
22 - Flagstaff, AZ - Prochnow Auditorium
23 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
24 - Scottsdale, AZ - Center for Performing Arts
26 - Los Angeles, CA - USC
27 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theater
28 - San Francisco, CA - Palace of Fine Arts
29 - Chico, CA - Cal State
March 2008
1 - Napa, CA - Opera House
2 - Arcata, CA - Humboldt State
4 - Bend, OR - Tower Theater
5 - Boise, ID - Egyptian Theatre
6 - Pocatello, ID - Stephens Performing Arts Center
8 - Billings, MT - Alberta Bair Theater
9 - Bozeman, MT - Emerson Crawford Theater
11 - Spokane, WA - The Met
12 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theater
13 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
14 - Bremerton, WA - Admiral Theater
15 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
By Kym Kilgore 11/14/07 >> 
