LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO *** 1/2 out of ****
BARBICAN CENTRE
Fifty years on, Ladysmith Black Mambazo may be an institution, but it's a vibrant, high-stepping institution that shows no signs of slowing down. Like The Blind Boys Of Alabama and many choirs, Ladysmith Black Mambazo will clearly continue long after its original members have retired or died. Happily, the group looks set to pass into very good hands.
Founder Joseph Shabalala strode onstage with his casual authority and kicked off the show with the prayer-like "Ofana Naye," one of the many tunes where tight harmonies and swirling melody filled the stage of one of the grand halls at the Barbican Centre with music as complex and engaging as any band with a dozen instruments could hope for.
Four of his sons are now performing in the group. Shabalala soon ceded the spotlight to Thamsanga Shabalala, the youngest and perhaps tallest, who possesses a lighter and airier voice than his father, more akin to the Congolese singer Tabu Ley Rochereau. At first, I thought Thamsanga was a quieter stage presence who would perhaps gain the authority of his father after many years. But he soon commanded attention with ease and danced with loose-limbed pleasure. His brother Sibongiseni proved a more natural showboater but I imagine Thamsanga will become the focal point in years to come.
Almost every song provided a chance for the group to shine, whether it was with the crisp vocal precision they're known for or the playful competitive dancing they engage in, each member taking center stage and high-stepping their way into the audience's favor.
The show sped along, helped surely by the fact that the group is promoting one of the best albums in its career. Songs From A Zulu Farm delivers mostly traditional tunes they learned as children from their parents, who learned it in turn from their parents. It's the first in a trilogy of tunes about Joseph Shabalala's childhood. I hope the next two focus on songs from the city and then songs of worship (if only because few people can growl "Amen!" with such verve as Joseph). Songs about a pesky chicken, a vain bird and even "Old MacDonald" were just some of the new numbers that took their place alongside familiar gems like "Shosholoza" and of course "Homeless." The lightheartedness of the new songs freed up the band to deliver its message of "peace, love and harmony" with disarming pleasure.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is currently touring Europe and there's never been a better time to say "Sawubona!" (Hello!) to one of the best musical groups in the world. They're been around for decades and are always consistently good live, so it's easy to take them for granted. But we shouldn't.
*****
Thanks for reading. Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinion makers as guests. It's available free on iTunes. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.
NOTE: Michael Giltz was provided with free tickets to this show with the understanding that he would be writing a review.