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The sounds of South Africa
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YES! Weekly, The sounds of South Africa >>
by Ogi Overman
Could it have been twenty full years since Paul Simon met Joseph Shabalala in a recording studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, and introduced the U.S. to an esoteric form of music called Isicathamiya that literally changed the face of World Music? Indeed, that meeting (that came about because a DJ in Los Angeles had sent Simon a tape of Shabalala’s group) not only resulted in Simon’s Grammy-winning album, Graceland, but also made the unknown (outside of South Africa) vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo a household name the world over.
To say that a lot has changed for the 10-man a cappella group since then would be a gross understatement. Yes, they had already become rather legendary in South Africa, but in the ensuing decades their fame has crossed every international border and cultural barrier. They have performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall for the Queen of England, in Rome for Pope John Paul II, at two Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies, and at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Their first album released in the U.S., Shaka Zulu, earned them a Grammy in 1987 as did their most recent release, Raise Your Spirit Higher. In between they were nominated eight additional times.
In addition to Simon, Mambazo has recorded with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Ben Harper, George Clinton, and The Wynans. They’ve appeared in videos by Michael Jackson and Spike Lee and recorded commercials for 7 Up and Life Savers.
The ensemble has an impressive résumé of theatre credits as well. “The Song of Jacob Zulu” opened on Broadway in 1993 and was nominated for six Tony Awards, while “Nomathemba,” staged in Chicago and based on the first song Joseph Shabalala wrote, was awarded Best Original Musical Score.
Moreover, a 2001 documentary on the group was nominated for both an Emmy and an Academy Award. 06/29/05 >> go there
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