Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Genres:	Drama • Music Videos & Concerts • Pop / Rock • World Music
Descriptive "tags":	african • world • south africa • africa • south african
Decades Active:	1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s
Links online:	BBC Music • Discography • Official Homepage • Wikipedia

Biography

The success of Paul Simon’s album Graceland did much to give the music of black South Africa international recognition in the mid-80s, and in particular gave a high profile to the choral group Mambazo and their captivating a cappella Zulu music (iscathamiya). Founded as Ezimnyama Ngenkani by Joseph Shabalala (Bhekizizwe Jospeh Siphatimandla, 28 August 1941, Ladysmith, South Africa) in 1960, the group changed its name to Ladysmith Black Mambazo in 1964. The new name referred to Shabalala’s home town of Ladysmith, while also paying tribute to the seminal 50s choral group Black Mambazo (black axe) led by Aaron Lerole (composer of the 1958 UK hit ‘Tom Hark’ by his brother Elias [Lerole] And His Zig Zag Flutes). The original line-up featured Shabalala, his brothers Headman and Enoch, cousins Abednego, Albert, Funokwakhe, Joseph and Milton Mazibuko, and friends Matovoti Msimanga and Walter Malinga.

The group began working...

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