Cal Performances | World Stage | Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Patron Information | Artists links

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

For more than 40 years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has combined the rhythms and harmonies of South Africa with the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music. The result is a musical and spiritual alchemy that has touched listeners representing every corner of the religious, cultural, and ethnic landscape. The group borrows from a traditional music called isicathamiya (is-cot-a-ME-ya), which developed in the mines of South Africa, where black workers toiled far from their homes and families—when they returned to their homeland, this inspirational music came with them. The group's Berkeley concert promises to be "an extraordinary sound experience" (The Star).

Event Sponsor:

Program Notes
Program notes are available online. [PDF]

Audio Clips
( Windows Media Player)

Izithembiso Zenkosi *

Homeless (with Paul Simon) *, **

* Clips listed here are representative of the artists, but may be different than what are being played as part of the Cal Performances program
** From the 1986 Grammy Award-winning Album Of The Year, Graceland