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Ladysmith Black Mambazo

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.

Ladysmith Black 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.

It has been over twenty years since Paul Simon made his initial trip to South Africa and met Joseph Shabalala, and the other members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, in a recording studio in Johannesburg. Simon was captivated by the stirring sound of bass, alto and tenor harmonies and incorporated these traditional sounds into the "Graceland" album, a project regarded by many as seminal to today's explosive interest in World Music.

The traditional music sung by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, called ISICATHAMIYA (Is-Cot-A-Me-Ya), was born in the mines of South Africa.

The name Ladysmith Black Mambazo came about as a result of winning every singing competition in which the group entered.

"Ladysmith" is the hometown of the Shabalala family; "Black" references the black oxen, considered to be the strongest on the farm. The Zulu word "Mambazo" refers to an ax - symbolic of the group's ability to "chop down" the competition.

A radio broadcast in 1970 brought about the first Ladysmith Black Mambazo record contract. Since then Ladysmith Black Mambazo has recorded over forty albums, selling over seven million records at home and abroad, establishing themselves as the number one selling group from Africa.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo worked with Paul Simon on the "Graceland" album and attracted a world of fans that never knew that the sounds of Zulu harmony could be so captivating.

The first Ladysmith Black Mambazo album release for the United States, "Shaka Zulu", was produced by Simon and won the Grammy Award in 1987 for Best Traditional Folk Recording.

Since then Ladysmith Black Mambazo have been nominated for a Grammy Award eleven additional times.

In 2005 Ladysmith Black Mambazo were awarded their second Grammy Award, for Best Traditional World Music Recording, for the release "Raise Your Spirit Higher."

Ladysmith Black Mambazo's most recent release, "Long Walk To Freedom", was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2007.

"On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps To Freedom," a documentary film which is the story of Joseph Shabalala and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Documentary Film in 2001 as well as nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Cultural Documentary on American television.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo have recorded with numerous artists from around the world including Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Dolly Parton, Ben Harper, Mavis Staples, Andreas Vollenweider, The Wynans, The Coors and George Clinton.

The Ladysmith Black Mambazo film work includes a featured appearance in Michael Jackson's video "Moonwalker" and Spike Lee's "Do It A Cappella". Black Mambazo has provided soundtrack material for Disney's "The Lion King Part II", Eddie Murphy's "Coming To America", Marlon Brando's "A Dry White Season", James Earl Jones' "Cry The Beloved Country" and Sean Connery's "League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen". They also can be heard singing the theme song to a children's tv show, in the USA, called "Land Before Time."

Ladysmith Black Mambazo's list of advertising appearances include award winning commercials for 7 Up and Life Savers Candy, as well as an "on camera" appearance for an IBM television campaign, "Solutions For a Small Planet". In 1999 Heinz Beans UK used a Ladysmith Black Mambazo song for a television advert that was so popular it helped the group's CD, at that time, sell over one million copies.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo were invited to perform at the special invitation of President Mandela, for the Queen of England and the Royal Family at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo also performed at two Nobel Peace Prize Ceremonies, a performance for Pope John Paul II, South African Presidential inaugurations, the 1996 Summer Olympics, and many musical award shows from around the world.

In the summer of 2002 Ladysmith Black Mambazo represented their nation, in London, for a celebration for Queen Elizabeth II's 50th Anniversary as Monarch. Dubbed "The Party at the Palace," Ladysmith Black Mambazo joined with Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins and Sir Paul McCartney on The Beatles song's "Hey Jude" and "All You Need Is Love."

http://www.mambazo.com/