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The Best of Ladysmith Black Mambazo - The Star and Wiseman

Music for a multi-cultural society

'The best of 'Ladysmith Black Mambazo - The Star and Wiseman'
Polygram CD no: 5652982

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is an all-male singing group from the province of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa. Although very well-known in their own country for many years, they have achieved wider fame relatively recently through their co-operation with Paul Simon on his Graceland album of 1986, and lately through the Heinz television adverts which feature the title track from this album. Rugby Union fans will also remember their contribution to the 1995 World Cup theme tune 'World in Union', which is also included.
The music on this recording is nothing if not varied. The group's style, although unquestionably Africa, does not restrict them in any way, and this 'best of . . .' collection includes a wide range of musical genres, from Paul Simon's 'Diamonds on the soles of her shoes' and Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' on heaven's door' to the aforementioned 'World in Union'. However, most of the songs are the work of Joseph Shabalala, the group's founder and lead singer, and have a flavour all of their own.
The kind of music this group makes could, I suppose, be compared to European and American close-harmony, but such a comparison would, in the end, fail utterly to do it justice, although there is undoubtedly a cross-cultural feel to many of the songs. The standard of musicianship and sense of rhythm is exceptional, the harmony complex and accurate, and the blend of voices quite clearly the fruit of many years of experience and musical co-operation. The singers also employ a number of vocal techniques - much use of glissando and rapid changes of dynamics, for instance - which are essentially unknown to Western ears. The overall effect is haunting and beautiful, and I do not believe one can fail to be impressed.
The group makes no claim to be Christian, but the programme notes emphasise the spiritual (in the broadest sense!) appeal of the music. 'Singing cleanses the soul, when the soul is clean everything is open . . . our music is about peace and harmony, it breaks through boundaries of colour, religion and nationality with a message of hope,' says Joseph Shabalala. So, not specifically Christian by any means, but then it is not specifically anything else either; there is much here that the Christian will enjoy, and very little that will offend. One of the songs, 'With God everything is possible', includes the 'fruit of the spirit' passage from Galatians 5.
I recommend this recording as an interesting, musically challenging and worthy addition to your CD collection.

Simon Brennan