Ladysmith Black Mambazo

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

During the late 1700s, a young South African warrior named Shaka Zulu united the Zulu tribe. Ladysmith Black Mambazo pays homage to the now-famous leader on Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu with its signature velvet-throated harmonies. The eight-member a cappella vocal group sings in English and Zulu as it expertly blends beautiful cadences of folk and gospel music on tracks such as "Let's Do It," a song about using politics for the good of people. On "Sizobalanda (We Are Here)," Ladysmith spreads a message of God's love. No need for organs or special arrangements. The Grammy Award-winning group, which hails from South Africa, uses harmony and isicathamiya (a South African style of unison song and dance) on "This Is The Way We Do" ("Oh, God, I love you with all my heart"), one of the CDs most passionate tracks. On "Prince of Peace," the universal message is powerful and translates in any language: Pray for peace.

COPYRIGHT 2008 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning