#4328: Tribute to Joseph Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo
For this New Sounds, we celebrate the life and music of singer, songwriter, and leader, Joseph Shabalala, and the unparalleled a cappella group he founded, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The group, known for its work collaborating with Paul Simon on Graceland, has continued to have a prestigious and lengthy career spanning over 50 years, and was once described as South Africa's "Cultural Ambassadors" by the late Nelson Mandela. Mambazo specializes in a Zulu song-and-dance tradition called isicathamiya, derived from the Zulu verb “-cathama,” meaning to “walk softly’ or 'tread carefully' (Afropunk.)
The group was formed in 1960 by Joseph Shabalala, recorded more than 50 albums, won multiple Grammys, and brought Zulu music to a worldwide audience. He stopped touring and writing for the group in 2014, and died in February of 2020. The group continues to perform, and his legacy is carried on by four of his sons (and one grandson) within Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Listen to performances recorded in the WNYC studios, along with portions of conversations with Shabalala over the years. Hear tunes sung in both Zulu and in English by Joseph and the chorus from when they visited the studio in 2004, and again in 2006. Listeners learn about the name of the choir and their origins - singing in the mines and eventually in competitions. The group has been professional since the late 1960’s, doing what they love with full-hearted commitment. Shabalala also explained how his writing of the music grew out of a long tradition, “following the blood,” and how the music took on a spiritual cast circa 1975.
Plus, hear music from the 2014 record, Always With Us, which honored Nellie Shabalala (d. 2002) - the late wife of Joseph Shabalala - showcasing female Zula vocalists on Ladysmith recordings for the first time. And more. - Caryn Havlik
#4328: Joseph Shabalala, In Memoriam (First aired 2/12/2020)
ARTIST: Paul Simon
WORK: Homeless [3:52]
RECORDING: Graceland
SOURCE: Warner / Rhino 74803
INFO: Available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
WORK: Bamnqobile [3:18]
RECORDING: Ezinkulu
SOURCE: Gallo Record Company
INFO: Available at Amazon, Spotify, AppleMusic
ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
WORK: Wenyukela (Raise Your Spirit Up) [4:07]
RECORDING: Live, Jan. 2004, WNYC
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available.
INFO: The tune appears on 2003's Raise Your Spirit Higher - Wenyukela (Wrasse Records)
ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
WORK: Wangibambezela [3:08]
RECORDING: Live, Jan. 2004, WNYC
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available.
INFO: The tune appears on 2003's Raise Your Spirit Higher - Wenyukela (Wrasse Records)
ARTIST: Paul Simon
WORK: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes [5:15]
RECORDING: Graceland
SOURCE: Warner / Rhino 74803
INFO: Available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo with Melissa Etheridge
WORK: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes [2:05]
RECORDING: Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Friends
SOURCE: Razor & Tie
INFO: Available at Amazon, Spotify, AppleMusic
ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
WORK: Uzube Nami Baba [4:03]
RECORDING: Umthombo Wamanzi
SOURCE: Serengeti Records
INFO: Appears on the Best of, Vol. 2, released by Shanachie, 2015.
ARTIST: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
WORK: Always With Us [3:00]
RECORDING: Always With Us
SOURCE: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
INFO: mambazo.com
ARTIST: Paul Simon
WORK: Homeless (demo version) [3:02]
RECORDING: Graceland (25th Anniversary Edition)
SOURCE: Sony Legacy
INFO: Available at Amazon, Spotify, AppleMusic
