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Ladysmith Black Mambazo - In Harmony: Live at the Royal Albert Hall |
List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $17.98 |
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Description:
After Ladysmith Black Mambazo gained initial fame with American audiences thanks to Paul Simon's 1985 Graceland album, the group achieved tremendous popularity in the international music scene. This 1999 production begins with a fascinating interview with the group's leader and songwriter, Joseph Shabalala. The articulate Shabalala shares the origins of the group's name, his personal calling, and his dream to share South Africa's musical canon with the world while conveying an immense sense of power and vision not often found in today's music. The live concert performance at London's Royal Albert Hall is a "best of" performance that showcases the group's wonderful a cappella harmonies and the genius of Shabalala's writing. The songs (in both English and Zulu) celebrate universal themes, like the misunderstandings between the younger and older generations in "Sisesiqhingini" (Stupid Stupid Stupid). "Phansi Emigodini" (Deep down in the mines) is especially masterful in its use of repetitive rhythms and vocal sound effects to re-create the sounds of picks and hammers at work in the mines. These potent effects create a hauntingly realistic atmosphere and add a deeper, universal level of meaning to the Zulu lyrics. Notable too is the unique "tiptoe dancing" that accompanies many of the songs. This expressive style of dance focuses primarily on the feet, but at times encompasses the entire body and lends a rich, visual aspect to Ladysmith Black Mambazo's powerful music. Following the encore (Graceland's "Homeless") is a short segment featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo on location in the parks and streets of Los Angeles. --Tami Horiuchi
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