Ladysmith Black Mambazo -
African Music and Instrumental Band - Johannesburg
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from
South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of
isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide
prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on
his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards,
including three Grammy Awards. They were formed by
Joseph Shabalala in 1960 and later became one of
South Africa's most prolific recording artists, with
their releases receiving gold and platinum disc
honors. The group has now become a mobile academy,
teaching people about South Africa and its culture.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo represents the traditional
culture of South Africa and is regarded as the
country's cultural emissary at home and around the
world. In 1993, at Nelson Mandela's request,
Ladysmith Black Mambazo accompanied the future
President to the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo,
Norway.
Mambazo sang again at
President Mandela's inauguration in May of 1994.
They are a national treasure of the new South Africa
in part because they embody the traditions
suppressed in the old South
Africa.
Formed by leader Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black
Mambazo made their first recording in the early
1970's, and had recorded over forty albums by the
turn of the millennium.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The traditional music sung by Ladysmith Black
Mambazo is called ISICATHAMIYA (Is-Cot-A-Me-Ya). It
was born in the mines of South Africa. Black workers
were taken by rail to work far away from their homes
and their families.
Poorly
housed and paid worse, they would entertain
themselves, after a six-day week, by singing songs
into the wee hours every Sunday morning. Cothoza
Mfana they called themselves, "tip toe guys",
referring to the dance steps choreographed so as to
not disturb the camp security guards.
When
miners returned to the homelands, the tradition
returned with them. There began a fierce, but
social, competition held regularly and a highlight
of everyone's social calendar. The winners were
awarded a goat for their efforts and, of course, the
adoration of their fans.
These competitions are held
even today in YMCA assembly halls and church
basements throughout Zululand, South Africa.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo have received a Grammy award
for their album Raise your Spirit Higher. The
album was awarded in the "Best Traditional World
Music" category at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in
Los Angeles.
This is the second time South Africa's iscathamiya
legends have received a Grammy - their previous
award in 1987, was for Shaka Zulu.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo are South Africa's foremost
proponents of the Iscathamiya style of singing, and
have grown to be one of the country's premier
cultural exports.
Terms of use:
This resource:
Does not claim to be an official website, the owners
or management over any supplier, service or content.
Will not respond to requests of a personal nature,
nor offer contacts nor share intellectual property.
Is purely a marketing and brokering medium for South
African Entertainment related suppliers and related
services and therefore this resource reserves the
right to only respond to official booking and quote
requests for corporate functions and events.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo -
African Music and Instrumental Band - Johannesburg
