Five-time Grammy Award winning Ladysmith Black Mamabazo on a national tour, first stop at Joburg Theatre

 The five-time Grammy Award-winning acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo was  founded by the late Joseph Bhekizizwe Shabalala in 1959. He initially named it Ezimnyama (The Black Ones) and later christened it Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Ladysmith for his hometown, Black for the local black oxen that were the strongest in the area, and Mambazo, the Zulu word for axe, as a metaphor for the group’s sharpness. The band is still going strong 63 years after its formation. The band is the epitome of black excellence and proof that legacy and family tradition can  stand the test of time. When Shabalala senior retired in 2014, four of his sons: Thulani Shabalala, Thamsanqa Shabalala, Sibongiseni Shabalala, and Msizi Shabalala remained in the band alongside the oldest band veteran, Mdletshe Albert Mazibuko, who has been with the band since its inception. The other four members are Abednego Mazibuko, Sabelo Mthembu, Mfanafuthi Dlamini, and Pius Shezi. With their agile bodies and mesmerizing voices, they take ownership of the stage and every voice and body movement gets its moment in the spotlight and every band member is introduced  at some point during the performance.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo band members at Joburg Theatre.  Pic: Joburg Theatre Twitter

What strikes me the most is the exceptional tightly woven affection and homo-social flare witnessed on stage. Authentic aesthetics are embedded in the voices of the Shabalala brothers, which also have the unique timbre of their father’s voice. The current national tour, under the leadership of Thamsanqa Shabalala, is championing the founder's dream of establishing an academy that will ensure that isicathamiya and mbube music continues to play a custodial role in the preservation of cultural heritage. They performed alongside Botshabelo Sunrise from Botshabelo in Free State, which gave a marvellous performance of Sesotho sa Borwa (Southern Sotho) music to a roaring audience. 

The Author with The Shabalala Brothers after the performance.

The nine Ladysmith Black Mambazo vocalists took to the stage shortly after 7:30 p.m. with a powerful welcoming song, “Nomathemba” – which is one of my favourites - and filling the theatre with a cascading wall of voices. Though the words were unfamiliar to the non-South African ear, the expressive smiles on the singers’ faces, coupled with their jubilant dancing, made the joyful atmosphere easy to pick up on, and impossible to not give in to. Their style of singing is unique, authentic and originally South African. This ensemble is a living heritage and their vision is to extend inspiration and empowerment to other musicians of the iscathamiya genre. 

Ladysmith Black Mambazo's performance at the Nelson Mandela Theatre of Joburg Theatre is a sight to behold; a must-see for every African. Adorned in colourful dashikis, black pants, and white sneakers and armed with a single inherent natural musical instrument - the voice - the 9 member band elegantly offers South Africans the global treat that they have been generously sharing with the rest of the world. The group exudes an ambiance of grace, harmony, and spirituality as they perform their sacred Zulu music and dance. From the deep bass voices anchoring the harmony to the soaring tenors and altos, the group's voices blend together in perfect unison. Their music is both rhythmically complex and beautifully simple, with the members' voices rising and falling in a truly mesmerizing fashion. Their dances, meanwhile, are energetic and lively, adding to the sense of joy and celebration that permeates their performances.

The Author with the veteran member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ntate Mdletshe Albert Mazibuko.

Watching them do their thing on stage is a lifetime privilege. The veritable wall of sound created by these singers leaves very little space for anything else. With no percussion, just pure vocalizing on bouncy, upbeat numbers such as “Homeless,” one of the group’s hit songs. Here, the nine members’ voices blended in perfect harmony, swelling in pulses that almost created the effect of string instruments. Even without a steady backbeat and instrumental devices, the group maintained a dance-worthy rhythm throughout all of its songs, which was quite a feat. With a 15-minute interval break, one never gets bored. 

What makes Ladysmith Black Mambazo's performance truly special, however, is their ability to connect with their audiences. Whether they are performing in an intimate small venue or on a large festival stage, they have a way of making every person in the room feel welcomed and included. The power and spirit of their music, combined with their warm personalities, draw the audience into a unique space where everyone feels connected and uplifted. Simply put, a Ladysmith Black Mambazo performance is an experience that will stay with you long after you left the theatre.

What came out of the performance for me was the  farsighted vision that Shabalala had for his legacy. The fact that his sons are continuing with the work he started reminded me of legacy of Dr Kaizer Motaung, the founder and chairperson of the successful  Kaizer Chiefs Football Club. Focusing on building generational legacies where family tradition can be viewed as a business enterprise would go a long way in stemming the wildfire of unemployment in the country. 

This national tour is a wonderful chance for people of South Africa to witness one of South Africa’s most successful music groups, which has mesmerised the world by telling our stories and sharing our heritage worldwide. 

Ladysmith Black Mambazo had a 4-day concert at Joburg theatre from the 24th till the 28 of May and will now embark on a national tour. 

Khehla Chepape Makgato is an artist, arts curator and freelance arts writer/researcher. He is presently a Phd Candidate in Art at UNISA.

THANKS FOR READING THIS ARTICLE. PLEASE REMEMBER TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND SHARE IS WITH YOUR PEOPLE.