Those joyful men in Ladysmith Black Mambazo are now marked by tragedy. Founder Joseph Shabalala's wife Nellie was murdered three years ago, allegedly by one of his own sons.

To carry on after such a thing without despair or hate is an amazing thing - yet that's exactly what this South African singing group is doing.

Saturday at the Winspear Centre, they will sing selections from Raise Your Spirit Higher, the group's first album since the murder.

THE WORLD TOUR CONTINUES

The record is brimming with positive, spiritual messages - just like everything they've ever done.

You might never know anything had happened were it not for the closing track, Tribute, composed and performed by Shabalala's grandsons. The extensive world tours continued.

Joseph's cousin Albert Mazibuko says, "It was very challenging, but that's when we discovered that the music is so powerful. It started when we were at her memorial service, because we were so devastated and so confused. We didn't understand why this thing happened and we didn't know if we were going to stop singing or not. But we were asked to sing at the service and we didn't know which song we were going to sing, but we decided to sing the peaceful song, the song that we used to sing for the political organizations when they were fighting apartheid, and when we sang the song, we felt the spirit was so powerful. When we left the stage, we talked amongst ourselves and said, 'she was a fan of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and she was the person who was behind Joseph Shabalala, so if we stop singing now we will be disappointing her.' Because she has not left us. We just can't see her now."

It was then that Shabalala wrote "the encouragement song."

Mazibuko continues, "It talks about somebody who loved me so much although I was hating him, but he kept on loving me until I realized that I have to love him back. All the songs on Raise Your Spirit Higher are songs of encouragement. They encourage us and I hope it encourages other people also.

"But the most what we do is pray a lot. We ask the Creator to guide us and to be with us all the time. I find it's helping a lot. It makes life understandable. I think that's what our music is about."

Perhaps the first famous example of "worldbeat music" - thanks to Paul Simon's collaboration with Ladysmith Black Mambazo on his album Graceland in 1987 - the group is often described as "Zulu gospel." Its members were raised in the traditional ways of South Africa, converted to Christianity later and now enjoy the best of both worlds.

Mazibuko recalls that his grandmother was the "diviner" of the village, said to be able to see the future and communicate with the dead.

HEALED INSTANTLY

"Before we go to sleep every evening, we had to sing and clap hands, beat the drum and dance. If we didn't do it before we went to bed, she'd wake us up in the middle of the night and make us do it!" he laughs. "That's how I was brought up."

The singer worked in an asbestos factory until 1975, when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and hospitalized for six months.

He says, "That was my first time to listen to the people who were preaching the gospel about Jesus. I said, wow, this is great. After that, Joseph came with the minister and they prayed for me and I was healed instantly. That's when I converted to being a Christian."

For 30 years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has been the non-violent, encouraging soundtrack to the troubles of South Africa, seen the struggle against and the victory over apartheid.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

The group, this family business, could literally go on forever.

While Mazibuko's sons are more interested in hockey - believe it or not - than singing, four of Shabalala's sons are in the group, and by the sounds of it, a third generation is on deck.

Mazibuko says, "We have a challenge in South Africa to keep our tradition and our music alive, because competition is so high from radio and TV that is such a big influence on children. We have to try our best to bring it to the people."

Tickets to the show are $37, on sale at the Winspear (428-1414).