CityLife

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Bridgewater Hall
November 4, 2009

WITH an illustrious past that includes Grammy award winning albums and historic live performances, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s legendary show arrives to give some uplifting cultural cheer to a typical miserable Mancunian night.

After years of success in their native South Africa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo rose to prominence as a result of singing on Paul Simon’s classic album Graceland, and ever since their message of peace, love and harmony has been reaching an ever increasing audience.

Led by their founder and musical director Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo tonight prove why they have been such a crossover success.

Hushed reverence

Shabalala is as confident and charismatic as you would expect for a man who has presided over such an important group for over 40 years, at various junctures joking with the audience, telling stories about Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s heritage and South Africa, encouraging mass singalongs and generally holding court with assurance.

Yet the sound Ladysmith Black Mambazo creates is often astounding. An all male vocal choir, they vary from deep, unsympathetic harmonies to tribal chants delivered with such emotion, all the time augmented by Shabalala’s own incredible voice that ranges from the baritone to the falsetto with remarkable ease.

Indeed, to make world music so accessible is no mean feat and the audience are more than willing to engage, and although their reactions vary from to wild applause to ones of hushed reverence, their appreciation is clear for all to see.

All in all, Ladysmith Black Mambazo display exactly why they have become the most successful purveyors of African tribal music, and a huge crossover success in the process.

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