Ladysmith Black Mambazo emanates 'Heavenly' harmony

For a Monday night, it was downright impressive to see Finney Chapel packed to the gills for a show that was not well publicized and not free. But if you were lucky enough to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo's sold out concert, you understand why. The ten man a cappella group from South Africa made a much appreciated stop at Oberlin on their jam packed U.S. tour for their latest album, Heavenly, and the audience couldn't get enough.

It's difficult to do the sound of this group justice in words. Hearing them sing live is a very instinctive, sensory experience. Their warm, rich harmonies both surround you like an embrace and well up inside you like a heart flow. This is the kind of music that feels as though it should be sung to open skies and endless plains, the kind of music that transports you to another place. They sing with a purity of sound that seems to cleanse and relax the soul.

The serene effect of their music is intrinsic to the themes in their songs, many of which are about good ol' love, peace and harmony. As Joseph Shabalala, the group's leader, puts it, "Singing pleases those who are disappointed and frustrated." They also sing about the hope for unity back in their home country. This idea is symbolically realized in this close-knit group (made up of his brothers, sons, cousins and friends). For although they sing as ten, their integration of voices comes out as one.

The songs tended to last for many minutes, inducing a rhythmic, trance-like effect on the audience. The music takes its time and is very repetitive but is so pleasing that nobody seemed to mind. The members of the group seem down to earth and easy going, making for a very homey and comforting experience.

Their style of singing is known as "Isicathamiya," and comes out of a tradition born in the mines of South Africa. Men would sing and dance to try and alleviate the hardships of living and working in the poor conditions of the mines away from their families. Shabalala was exposed to the style in a Durban factory in the 1950s and brought the tradition home with him. However the specific sound of Ladysmith Black Mambazo came to Shabalala in a dream.

When they came out onto stage, their energy and enthusiasm was apparent as they jumped up and down. It seems strange that you would need to warm your legs up for a singing concert, but in this case its understandable. Their live performance included elements of Zulu dancing which involves a lot of high leg kicking. The dancing was in fact as engaging as the singing at many points. The group would often move in unison as they sang or at other times members would come to the front to the stage for solo dance efforts.

During one song which was said to demonstrate the strong influence of the Zulu dance tradition in Ladysmith Black Mambazo's music, members of the audience were lured onto stage for an impromptu Zulu dance workshop. This provided for one of the show's more entertaining and memorable moments. All six students, in addition to a young man lifted up from the front row, fared well for being put on the spot.

Perhaps your only exposure to Ladysmith Black Mambazo is through Paul Simon's Graceland or those soothing Wint o' Green Lifesavers commercials. Then what you don't know is that this group has been around since 1962 and have had nearly 40 releases. They have been nominated for Grammy awards four times, and won one for their album Shaka Zulu in 1987. They have sung for Nelson Mandela and the Queen of England among others. They have achieved world wide acclaim and are considered a national treasure in their homeland of South Africa.

By the end of the show, it seemed apparent that this group had won a place in Oberlin hearts as well. The audience was clapping, stomping and yelling for more. Needless to say, a happy time was had by all.

Sweet serenity: The ten man team from South Africa dazzled a full house at Finney last Monday with their sublime harmonies and traditional Zulu dancing. (photo by Zach Fried)