thePULSEHere from South Africa with a Message of Love
By Bernie Whitmore
Twenty-some years ago Paul Simon released Graceland and injected the African/World genre into the mainstream of popular American music. The sound came from his “discovery” of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, an a cappella group from South Africa. Suddenly this group of guys found themselves on the world stage, a place they’ve more or less remained ever since. After listening to their latest CD, “Long Walk to Freedom,” it’s obvious they’ve remained true to their roots of Zulu gospel even though musicians like Natalie Merchant, Mellissa Etheridge and Taj Mahal appear on several tracks. Ladysmith’s sound is both soothing and exciting with driving blues and gospel all in one tight CD. I can’t wait to hear them in concert ~ and if you’d care to join me, you’re in luck; they are performing at Fitchburg State College’s Center Stage on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 8 PM. Albert Mazibuko, “second in command” and an original group member, was kind enough to talk with Pulse from his home in South Africa.
First, some background…
I love all your tracks, but “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes” is flat-out infectious and stays in my mind. Where did it come from, and what was it like when Paul Simon took interest in the song?
THE ORIGINAL VERSION FROM THE GRACELAND CD WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL SIMON AND HE ASKED JOSEPH TO INCORPORATE THE GROUP’S VOCALS. JOSEPH WROTE THE OPENING TO THE SONG, WHICH IS MAMBAZO SINGING IN ZULU.
Did the recognition that collaboration with Simon brought surprise you?
YES IT DID. WE KNEW PAUL SIMON WAS FAMOUS AND WE THOUGHT BEING INVOLVED WITH HIM WOULD BE NICE [and] GET OUR NAME OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE BUT NO ONE THOUGHT THAT THE RECORDING WOULD LEAD TO THE SUCCESS FOR US THAT IT DID. IT WASN’T THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR SINGING. IT WAS A MATTER OF NOT UNDERSTANDING THE POWER THAT MUSIC COULD HAVE ALL OVER THE WORLD. THAT THIS RECORDING, GRACELAND, WOULD ALLOW TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO HEAR OUR VOICES AND THEN THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO SEE US SING LIVE.
If you could, please tell me about your progress from local to world-wide acclaim. Please describe some highlights; events that have been the most exciting for you and/or the group.
IT’S STILL SO AMAZING TO US THAT WE WENT FROM BEING POPULAR IN SOUTH AFRICA TO BEING POPULAR ALL OVER THE WORLD. WHEN WE TRAVELED ON THE GRACELAND TOUR IN THE 1980s WE SAW IT AS US BEING APART OF THE PAUL SIMON TOUR SO WE ENJOYED IT BUT DIDN’T THINK WE WOULD KEEP GOING ON OUR OWN AS WE HAVE. ONCE THE PAUL SIMON TOUR ENDED AND OUR MANAGERS TOLD US THAT WE COULD NOW TOUR ALL OVER THE WORLD ON OUR OWN, WE DIDN’T REALIZE, AT THE TIME, THAT THIS WOULD CONTINUE, NOW, FOR 20 YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY INCREDIBLE MOMENTS FOR US IT REALLY IS HARD TO PICK A FEW OUT. EACH TIME WE ARE ASKED TO REPRESENT OUR COUNTRY, AT SOME IMPORTANT EVENT, IT IS VERY SPECIAL FOR US. WE’VE BEEN TO THE OLYMPICS, WE SANG FOR THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND SEVERAL TIMES, WE SANG FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II AND SO MANY OTHER TIMES. WINNING THE GRAMMY AWARD TWICE HAS BEEN SPECIAL.
The new CD…
As I read the ‘current news’ and other information on the Ladysmith Black Mambazo website I’m impressed by the number of collaborators and their range from the world of pop. Then I listen to the ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ CD and I’m even more impressed to hear how well integrated they are in your a cappella sound. How is this magnificent integration/arrangement achieved?
JOSEPH SHABALALA, THE LEADER AND FOUNDER OF THE GROUP, IS THE ONE WHO MANAGES THIS. HE WRITES THE SONGS AND THEN WE REHEARSE THEM MANY TIMES. HE CONSTANTLY WORKS ON THE HARMONIES AND WHERE HE WANTS THE DIFFERENT VOICES TO BE SINGING.
What were the CD’s challenges? Was there a song you most enjoyed recording?
WE WANTED TO FRESHEN UP THESE SONGS. WE HAVE BEEN SINGING THEM FOR MANY YEARS AND THE MOOD AND FEELINGS OF THE SONGS HAVE CHANGED, FOR US, OVER THE YEARS. WE WANTED TO BRING THOSE NEW FEELINGS TO THE SONGS. THE NEW VERSION OF DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES WAS VERY FUN, AND CHALLENGING, TO DO. WE WERE MORE INVOLVED WITH THE SONG THIS TIME THAN ON GRACELAND.
The music itself…
Do you find your sound influenced by your various collaborations? Or is the music world still learning and growing from your influence?
I COULDN’T SAY WHETHER WORLD MUSIC IS BEING INFLUENCED BY US. PERHAPS WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN GROUPS TO BECOME RECOGNIZED AND THAT OPENED THE MINDS TO PEOPLE THAT WORLD MUSIC SHOULD BE LISTENED TO. SOMETIMES OUR OWN SINGING IS INFLUENCED BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH BUT NOT TOO MUCH. WE TRY TO KEEP OUR STYLE AS TRUE TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AS WE CAN.
Has the group’s membership changed over the years?
YES IT HAS. BEFORE GRACELAND, JOSEPH TOOK A LONG TIME TO BRING IN THE VOICES HE FELT HE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE SOUND HE WANTED. THE GROUP PEOPLE KNOW FROM GRACELAND HAS SUFFERED UNTIMELY DEATHS. FIRST, JOSEPH’S BROTHER HEADMAN WAS KILLED IN 1991. THEN TWO OTHER MEMBERS RETIRED IN 1993. IN 1999 ANOTHER GRACELAND MEMBER RETIRED. HOWEVER THEY ALL WERE REPLACED BY SONS OF JOSEPH’S AND THIS HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. OF COURSE THEY HAVE KNOWN THE SINGING SINCE THEY WERE BABIES. JOSEPH HAD BEEN TRAINING THEM FOR THE DAY THEY WOULD JOIN HIM. THEY BROUGHT A NEW, YOUTHFUL, ENERGY TO THE GROUP. THEY ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF MAMBAZO AND THEY WILL CONTINUE THE GROUP AND ITS MISSION AFTER US OLDER MEMBERS MOVE ON.
Have you found that American audiences respond differently to your music than do audiences from other countries?
PROBABLY SO BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE’VE COME FROM. HOWEVER, NO MATTER WHERE WE TRAVEL AND PERFORM WE FIND THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN US AND WHERE WE COME FROM. THEY WANT TO KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA, AND ZULU CULTURE, AS THEY CAN. IT’S WONDERFUL.
What is it like, having such an aggressive tour schedule?
WE HATE LEAVING OUR FAMILIES BUT THIS IS OUR JOB AND IT’S HOW WE EARN OUR MONEY. PEOPLE THINK WE MUST BE RICH BUT WE’RE NOT. BECAUSE OF OUR SUCCESS WE ALL HAVE TAKEN ON LARGER RESPONSIBILITIES IN OUR LARGER FAMILY. BECAUSE LIFE IS SO DIFFICULT IN SOUTH AFRICA AND PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE FINDING WORK AND EARNING MONEY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HELP AS MANY AS WE CAN. WE ALL HELP OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, CHILDREN OF OUR OWN AND OUR NEPHEWS AND NIECES, ETC. SINCE WE HAVE THIS CHANCE TO HELP MORE PEOPLE WE NEED TO DO SO. SO, YES, WE DO TOUR A LOT BUT THE END RESULT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR FAMILIES. AS WELL, WE LOVE TO SING AND WE LOVE TO SHARE OUR CULTURE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE KNOW THERE IS NOW SO MUCH TO LISTEN TO FOR PEOPLE THAT WE DON’T WANT THE WORLD TO FORGET OUR CULTURE. WE THINK IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL. EVERYTIME WE FINISH A TOUR WE HEAR THAT PEOPLE WANT US BACK SO WE COME BACK TO MANY PLACES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT’S WONDERFUL AND WE DON’T FORGET HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
Perhaps this is stating obvious, but I hear in your music parallels to the gospel/soul/blues progression that evolved in the American South. Is your sound evolving?
WELL, THE EARLY YEARS OF ZULU CHOIRS WERE INFLUENCED BY TRAVELING GOSPEL CHOIRS FROM THE USA. THEY CAME OVER IN THE EARLY 1900s. SO OUR PEOPLE’S SONGS AND STYLES WERE INFLUENCED DIRECTLY BY AMERICAN GOSPEL. ALL THE MEMBERS OF LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO ARE CHURCH GOING MEN SO WE FIND THE AMERICAN GOSPEL STYLE WONDERFUL. WE DON’ THINK OUR STYLE IS CHANGING TOO MUCH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER. WE DO LIKE TO SING WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND WE ENJOY CHANGING OUR STYLE TO SUIT THAT MOMENT BUT WE DON’T WANT OUR TRADITIONAL SOUND AND STYLE TO CHANGE.
Does your show change at all depending upon the audience (for example, one with a substantial number of college students as will be the case at the Fitchburg State College performance)?
NOT REALLY, WE FEEL THAT OUR SHOW INCORPORATES THE MANY ASPECTS OF WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE. THERE IS THE SINGING AND THE DANCE SONGS AND THEY ARE WHO WE ARE. WE SHARE THAT STYLE WITH ALL OUR AUDIENCES.
Parting thoughts…
Lastly, for the uninitiated, would you be willing to sum up the Ladysmith’s music/message/experience in a couple of sentences?
WE ARE FROM ZULULAND SOUTH AFRICA. THE ZULU CULTURE IS VERY PROUD AND UNIQUE. THERE IS A LOT OF WONDERFUL HISTORY TO US. LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO WAS FORMED DURING DIFFICULT YEARS, IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND WE HAVE WANTED TO SPREAD A MESSAGE OF PEACE AND LOVE. WE HAVE SEEN MANY TERRIBLE THINGS AND WE KNOW THE WAY TO DEFEAT EVIL IS THROUGH LOVE. WE HAVE TRIED TO COMBINE THIS MESSAGE WITH THE BEAUTY OF OUR CULTURE AND WE HOPE EVERYONE FINDS SOMETHING IMPORTANT AND INTERESTING IN WHAT WE DO. NGIYABONGA [THANK YOU].
Ladysmith Black Mambazo @ FSC’s Center Stage, Sat., Oct. 6 at 8pm. For more info, call the Weston Box Office at 978-665-3347 Mon – Fri 12:30 – 3:30 or head to www.fsc.edu/cultural/
Also be sure to visit mambazo.com
