Ladysmith
Black Mambazo Pays Tribute To South African Cultural Icon
Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu Celebrates the Life of
the African Warrior Who Built a Nation
In the late 1700s, the Zulus were an obscure tribe of less than
2000 South African natives, ruled by a petty chief and seemingly
doomed to eventual extinction. But when one charismatic and
cunning young warrior, Shaka Zulu, emerged from this small,
disorganized clan, the path of South African history changed
forever. In a span of less than two decades, Shaka Zulu united
the Zulus with various neighboring tribes into a single powerful
force that helped give birth to a proud nation.
Today, Shaka Zulu is regarded as one of the greatest leaders
in African history. His combination of warrior discipline,
visionary leadership, innate creativity, and unshakable belief
in a united nation continues to resonate to this day in South
Africa. He is revered as the single figure who gave birth
to the indomitable fighting spirit of the Zulus – the
same spirit that enabled South Africans to persevere amid
the European domination of their homeland for nearly two centuries
of apartheid.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the GRAMMY® Award winning vocal
group from South Africa that has conquered nations in its own
way with a joyous and spiritually charged brand of vocal music
and native choreography, pays tribute to this historical icon
with their new Heads Up International release, Ilembe:
Honoring Shaka Zulu (HUCD 3133 and on SACD in
5.1 as HUSA 9133). Set for worldwide CD and SACD release January
15, 2008, Ilembe celebrates not only
Shaka Zulu but the sense of perseverance, creativity and pride
that he has inspired in generations of descendants.
Ladysmith
Black Mambazo Pays Tribute To South African Cultural Icon
Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu Celebrates the Life of
the African Warrior Who Built a Nation
In the late 1700s, the Zulus were an obscure tribe of less than
2000 South African natives, ruled by a petty chief and seemingly
doomed to eventual extinction. But when one charismatic and
cunning young warrior, Shaka Zulu, emerged from this small,
disorganized clan, the path of South African history changed
forever. In a span of less than two decades, Shaka Zulu united
the Zulus with various neighboring tribes into a single powerful
force that helped give birth to a proud nation.
Today, Shaka Zulu is regarded as one of the greatest leaders
in African history. His combination of warrior discipline, visionary
leadership, innate creativity, and unshakable belief in a united
nation continues to resonate to this day in South Africa. He
is revered as the single figure who gave birth to the indomitable
fighting spirit of the Zulus – the same spirit that enabled
South Africans to persevere amid the European domination of
their homeland for nearly two centuries of apartheid.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the GRAMMY® Award winning vocal
group from South Africa that has conquered nations in its own
way with a joyous and spiritually charged brand of vocal music
and native choreography, pays tribute to this historical icon
with their new Heads Up International release, Ilembe:
Honoring Shaka Zulu (HUCD 3133 and on SACD in
5.1 as HUSA 9133). Set for worldwide CD and SACD release January
15, 2008, Ilembecelebrates
not only Shaka Zulu but the sense of perseverance, creativity
and pride that he has inspired in generations of descendants.
“He was a warrior, an athlete, a singer, a dancer, a visionary,
he was so many things,” says Joseph Shabalala, lead singer
and founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. “He was a diplomat
too. He could talk about differences in a civilized way, but
he was also very proud. If you said, ‘No, I’m not
going to cooperate,’ then he would say, ‘Alright,
let us see who is the boss.’”
The album title translates to “The Greatest
Warrior,” and either directly or indirectly, each of
the tracks speaks to Shaka’s rare combination of attributes
and how they resonate in contemporary society – not
just for South Africans, but for the world in general. From
the opening track, “O Mmu Beno Mmu” (“Somebody
and Somebody”), the group sings about the inherent benefits
of people coming together and working in unison for the greater
good. “Kuyafundw’ Osizini” (“Learning
from the Obstacles”) sets the story of Shaka Zulu to
music, and emphasizes the importance of confronting obstacles,
overcoming them and learning from the experience.
“Let’s Do It” acknowledges
the dirty side of the political process, but encourages people
to rise above petty squabbles as a means to accomplish great
things. “Umon Usuk Esweni” (“Jealous Eyes”)
cautions against the dangers of jealousy. “If you see
something you want,” says Shabalala, “make sure
you want it for the right reasons. Something can be beautiful
and alluring, but not good for you.”
Further into the set, “Hlala Nami”
(“Stay With Me”) stresses the importance of staying
with those people who will keep you on the right path, while
“Prince of Peace” bridges the seemingly disparate
elements of Zulu history and Christian tradition. “This
song is about that young man named Jesus. It’s about
encouraging people to love one another. It’s similar
to the story of Shaka Zulu, but Jesus was much more than that.
Shaka would sometimes take his spear and fight. But the spear
that Jesus used was the truth. He told people how to live
in peace, even when some people in his time didn’t want
to hear that message.”
Nearly two centuries after Shaka Zulu’s passing –
and two millennia since the passing of Jesus – the messages
of peace, unity, social harmony and national pride transcend
their points of origin and resonate throughout the globe.
“There have been so many generations that
have come and gone since Shaka was king of the Zulus, but
there are still many hearts and minds to be conquered,”
says Shabalala, who converted to Christianity many years ago
yet continues to balance his spiritual convictions with his
cultural roots. “There are still many people who need
to be filled with the spirit of unity and hope that Shaka
embodied. We are trying to remind people of the importance
of what this man did. That was my purpose, to bring the people
back to the roots of their culture.”
Come and hear the sound of Zulu history. Come and catch the
spirit of Ilembe, “The Greatest
Warrior.”
For more than thirty years, Ladysmith Black
Mambazo have married the intricate rhythms and harmonies of
their native South African musical traditions to the sounds
and sentiments of Christian gospel music. The result is a musical
and spiritual alchemy that has touched a worldwide audience
representing every corner of the religious, cultural and ethnic
landscape. Their musical efforts over the past three decades
have garnered praise and accolades within the recording industry,
but also solidified their identity as a cultural force to be
reckoned with.
Assembled in the early 1960s in South Africa by Joseph Shabalala
– then a young farmboy turned factory worker – the
group took the name Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Ladysmith
being the name of Shabalala’s rural hometown; Black being
a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; and
Mambazo being the Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s
ability to “chop down” any singing rival who might
challenge them. Their collective voices were so tight and their
harmonies so polished that they were eventually banned from
competitions – although they were welcome to participate
strictly as entertainers.
Shabalala says his conversion to Christianity in the ‘60s
helped define the group’s musical identity. The path that
the axe was chopping suddenly had a direction: “To bring
this gospel of loving one another all over the world,”
he says. However, he’s quick to point out that the message
is not specific to any one religious orientation. “Without
hearing the lyrics, this music gets into the blood, because
it comes from the blood,” he says. “It evokes enthusiasm
and excitement, regardless of what you follow spiritually.”
A radio broadcast in 1970 opened the door to their first record
contract – the beginning of an ambitious discography that
currently includes more than forty recordings. Their philosophy
in the studio was – and continues to be – just as
much about preservation of musical heritage as it is about entertainment.
The group borrows heavily from a traditional music called isicathamiya
(is-cot-a-ME-Ya), which developed in the mines of South Africa,
where black workers were taken by rail to work far away from
their homes and their families. Poorly housed and paid worse,
the mine workers would entertain themselves after a six-day
week by singing songs into the wee hours on Sunday morning.
When the miners returned to the homelands, this musical tradition
returned with them.
In the mid-1980s, Paul Simon visited South Africa and incorporated
Black Mambazo’s rich tenor/alto/bass harmonies into his
Graceland album – a landmark 1986 recording that
was considered seminal in introducing world music to mainstream
audiences. A year later, Simon produced Black Mambazo’s
first U.S. release, Shaka Zulu, which won a Grammy in 1988 for
Best Traditional Folk Album. Since then, the group has scored
eight more Grammy nominations.
In addition to their work with Paul Simon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo
has recorded with numerous artists from around the world, including
Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, The Wynans, Julia Fordham, George
Clinton, The Corrs and Ben Harper. Their film work includes
a featured appearance in Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
video and Spike Lee’s Do It A Cappella. Black
Mambazo provided soundtrack material for Disney’s The
Lion King, Part II as well as Eddie Murphy’s Coming
To America, Marlon Brando’s A Dry White Season,
Sean Connery’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,
and James Earl Jones’ Cry The Beloved Country.
A recent film documentary titled On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps
to Freedom, the story of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, was nominated
for an Academy Award. The group is well known for its Life Savers
candy commercials. Their performance with Paul Simon on
Sesame Street is legendary and is one of the top three
requested Sesame Street segments in history.
Black Mambazo has been invited to perform at many special occasions.
By special invitation from South African President Nelson Mandela,
they performed for the Queen of England and the Royal Family
at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The group has also performed
at two Nobel Peace Prize Ceremonies, a concert for Pope John
Paul II in Rome, the South African Presidential inaugurations,
the 1996 Summer Olympics and many other special events. In the
summer of 2002, Black Mambazo was again asked to represent their
nation in London at a celebration for Queen Elizabeth’s
50th Anniversary as Monarch. They shared the stage with Paul
McCartney, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker and Phil Collins.
Amid the extensive worldwide touring, the ambitious recording
schedule and the numerous accomplishments and accolades, tragedy
struck the group in 2002 when Nellie Shabalala, Joseph’s
wife of thirty years, was murdered by a masked gunman outside
their church in South Africa. “At the time that this happened,
I tried to take my mind deep into the spirit, because I know
the truth is there,” Shabalala recalls. “In my flesh,
I might be angry, I might cry, I might suspect somebody. But
when I took my mind into the spirit, the spirit told me to be
calm and not to worry. Bad things happen, and the only thing
to do is raise your spirit higher.”
Out of this dark chapter came Raise Your Spirit Higher -
Wenyukela, Black Mambazo’s brilliant debut recording
on Heads Up International, released in 2004 to coincide with
the 10-year anniversary of the end of apartheid. The album,
which held the number one spot on the Billboard World
Music chart for several months, and received national sales
acclaim on Billboard's Gospel and Top Independent Album
charts, was Shabalala’s message of hope and unity to a
troubled world.
Given the emotional depth and very personal dimension to Raise
Your Spirit Higher, it comes as no suprise that the recording
scored a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music
Album, and was nominated for Best Surround Sound Album in a
first ever category in 2005.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo followed this highly successful project
with the innovative No Boundaries, a classical crossover
recording with The English Chamber Orchestra that scored a Grammy
nomination for Best Contemporary World Music Album. Released
in January 2005, No Boundaries merges the group’s isicathamiya
singing with the likes of Mozart, Schubert and Bach. The music
of No Boundaries was arranged by South African-born German pianist
and composer Isak Roux, as commissioned by South Africa’s
International Classical Music Festival.
The group will celebrate twelve years of democracy in the Republic
of South Africa with the January 2006 release of Long Walk
to Freedom, a collection of twelve new recordings of classic
Mambazo songs with numerous special guests, including Melissa
Etheridge, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Joe McBride, Sarah McLachlan,
Natalie Merchant, and Zap Mama. Also appearing on this monumental
recording are a number of South African international icons
lending their support to the South African anthem “Shosholoza,”
including Hugh Masekela, Vusi Mahlasela, Lucky Dube, Nokukhanya
and others.
The newest offering by Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a tribute
to Shaka Zulu, the iconic South African warrior who united numerous
regional tribes in the late 1800s and became the first king
of the Zulu nation. Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu
(HUCD 3133), is set for worldwide release on January 15, 2008.
A simultaneous SACD release (HUSA 9133) is also planned.
Translations
for Ladysmith Black Mambazo's
Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu
(Explanations by Joesph Shabalala)
“O Mmu Beno Mmu”
(oh-MMMM benn Oh-MMMM) (“Somebody and Somebody”)
“When somebody and somebody else get together, they can
do their best work. I don’t use names because it doesn’t
matter who those two people are. They can be anybody. They can
be you and your friend. You can do something better when you
work with someone else.”
“Kuyafundw’ Osizini (Ilembe)” (koo-yah-FOON-doo
oh-SEE-zee-nee)
(“Learning from the Obstacles [The Greatest Warrior]”)
“Don’t worry about the many things that are in
your way. If you confront those obstacles and learn from them,
you will teach others how to conquer the same kinds of obstacles.
There are people who complain about everything, and they want
to avoid doing things that are too hard, like school or a
job. Those people should stay where they are and learn from
their experiences.”
“Vela Nsizwa” (vell-onn-SEEZ-wah)
(“Show Yourself, Young Man”)
“If a young lady decides to accept a young man’s
courtship, she says ‘This is the one.’ If you
are the chosen one, it is time for you to show yourself, to
prove that you are morally upright and committed to the relationship.
It is time to prove yourself to be a worthy suitor.”
“Let’s Do It”
“This is a song about politics. Everyone says politics
is a dirty game, but it can be channeled to do good. All we
need is blessings from the Almighty. Together we can make
it happen and show the world that we can succeed.
“Umon' Usuk' Esweni” (oo-MONN oo-SOOK
ess-WAY-nee) (“Jealous Eyes”)
“Jealousy comes from seeing something and saying ‘I
want that.’ Jealousy is a dangerous thing. If you see
something you want, make sure you’re sure you will love
it. Something can be very beautiful and alluring, but not
good for you.”
“Sizobalanda” (SEE-zoe bah-LONN-dah)
(“We Are Here”)
“We are here to preach, and to encourage people to understand
God and bring them home to a place where they can love God.”
“This Is the Way We Do”
“Many people have asked us how we have had so much success.
This is the way we do it. We put our songs together to worship
God. If there’s something you want from this life, you
have to ask God to help show you the way of how to do it.
If you want to be successful at anything, you can only do
it with the help of God.”
“Iphel’ Emasini” (eep-ELL
ee-mah-SEE-nee) (“A Cockroach in the Milk”)
“The title is a Zulu proverb that means, ‘There’s
a beautiful thing in front of you, but there is a cockroach
on top of it.’ A cockroach is very easy to see when
it’s standing in something white. You can spoil something
by concentrating too much on the negative. Try to look past
the bad things and focus on the good things. Otherwise, you’ll
be afraid to enjoy life.”
“Asekhon’ Amatshitshi” (ah-SECK-hone
ah-mah-CHEE-chee)
(“The Virgins Are Still There”)
“The song praises and encourages the young women who
still take care of their virginity. So many people in my country
are convinced that the young women are corrupt, and have no
respect for their bodies. But I’m saying that there
are still many young women who are careful to protect their
virtue.”
“Hlala Nami” (LAH-lah NAH-mee)
(“Stay With Me”)
“This song talks about the value of staying with a good
person, whether it’s a wife or a husband or a friend
– any person from whom you can learn and do good things.
You might have a friend whom you stay with for a while, but
then you grow tired of him and you run away, and then you
get into trouble. That friend will say, ‘Hey, come back
to me. Stay with me. We did good things together.”
“Prince of Peace”
“This is about that young man named Jesus. This is about
encouraging people to love one another. It’s similar
to the story of Shaka Zulu, but Jesus was much more than that.
Shaka would sometimes take his spear and fight. But the spear
that Jesus used was the truth. He told people how to live
in peace, even when some people in his time didn’t want
to hear that message.”
“Iphel’ Emasini” (Nature Effects)
(eep-ELL ee-mah-SEE-nee)
(“A Cockroach in the Milk”)
An alternate version of track #8.
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