Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his 1986 album Graceland. They have since won multiple awards, including five Grammy Awards the fifth of which they dedicated to the late former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Isicathamiya is a singing style that originated from the Zulu people, a South African ethnic group. In European understanding, a cappella is also used to describe this form of singing.
Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala was a South African singer and musician who was the founder and musical director of the choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
No Boundaries is a 2005 album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the English Chamber Orchestra. It was released on 25 January 2006 and featured many Western classical tracks composed by Mozart and Bach as well as Joseph Shabalala originals.
Wenyukela is an album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album was expected to have a solemn touch; it was the first album release after the murder of leader Joseph Shabalala's wife Nellie, in May 2002. It was released on 5 March 2003. A British version with four extra tracks was released under the title Raise Your Spirit Higher: Wenyukela. An American version titled Raise Your Spirit Higher was released in January 2004.
Sibongiseni Lucas Shabalala, is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph.
Thamsanqa Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph. He replaced Joseph as the group's lead singer after his father's retirement in 2015.
Amabutho is the first album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was released in 1973 by Gallo Record Company. Amabutho was the first record by black musicians in the country to receive gold disc certification. It contains the hit single "Nomathemba". The LP was reissued on Gallo along with most of the group's early output, in February 2007. The members who sang on the Amabutho album were Milton Mazibuko, Ngali Mazibuko, Joseph Shabalala, Headman Shabalala, Enoch Shabalala, Albert Mazibuko and Walter Malinga
The Very Best of Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain is a 2-disc compilation album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was released in the United Kingdom in November 2004, to coincide with the group's tour of the UK that month.
Amaqhawe was the 7th studio release by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album included songs such as "Ngi Boniseleni", which was later re-recorded as "Yibo Labo" on the album Shaka Zulu. Ben Shabalala Funokwakhe Mazibuko Abednego Mazibuko Headman Shabalala Enoch Shabalala Albert Mazibuko Milton Mazibuko Joseph Shabalala Russell Mthembu Fikile Groonwell Khumalo Jockey Shabalala Patrick Zondo Jabulani Dubazana
Ilembe is a 2007 album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was released on 26 February 2007 and did not feature collaborations, and was simply "Ladysmith Black Mambazo at its best", as the Gallo press release for the anticipated release put it. It was re-released in 2008 with the title Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu.
Inkazimulo is an album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The members who sang in the Inkazimulo album were Joseph Shabalala Inos Phungula Albert Mazibuko Headman Shabalala Jabulani Dubazana Russell Mthembu Geophrey Mdletshe Abednego Mazibuko Jockey Shabalala Ben Shabalala. It was released in 1985 and was a primarily religious release. The album was recorded a year before the group's collaboration with Paul Simon on his Graceland album and tour.
Ushaka is a 1977 album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The members who sang in the Ushaka album were; Ben Shabalala; Jockey Shabalala; Patrick Zondo; Jabulani Dubazana; Fikile Groonwell Khumalo; Funokwakhe Mazibuko; Milton Mazibuko; Albert Mazibuko and Joseph Shabalala.
Umthombo Wamanzi is an album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album was recorded in May 1982, and released the next month. Whilst the group's previous output had been, for the most part, entirely composed by lead singer and founder Joseph Shabalala, Umthombo Wamanzi contained primarily traditional Zulu hymns re-arranged by Shabalala, such as "Uzube Nami Baba" and "Ungikhumbule". The members who sang in the Umthombo Wamanzi album were Abednego Mazibuko Jockey Shabalala Albert Mazibuko Jabulani Dubazana Headman Shabalala Fikile Groonwell Khumalo Russell Mthembu Joseph Shabalala.
Induku Zethu is an album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album shows the group on the front cover photograph wearing traditional Zulu attire, with lead singer and founder Joseph Shabalala out front brandishing a spear. The album was released in 1983, and reissued internationally in 1984 by Shanachie Records.
My Dream – African Sounds is a 2008 release by the South African groups Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the SABC Choir. It was released on 30 September 2008. The album is a collaboration of both isicathamiya and choral music.
"Homeless" is a 1986 song by Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo lead singer Joseph Shabalala.
Always With Us is a 2014 album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album, released on 15 January 2014, is a tribute to the life of the group's matriarch Nellie Shabalala (1953-2002), the late wife of Mambazo leader Joseph Shabalala. It is also only the second album in the group's 50-year career to feature female Zulu vocalists singing alongside the male members.
Young Mbazo, also known as Thee Legacy, is a distinct South African contemporary isicathamiya ensemble spinoff made up of the sons and grandsons of the multi Grammy-award winning acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. They rose to stardom as a result of winning the inaugural Sing Off South Africa 2015 a cappella music competition, which aired on SABC 1 and earned them a recording deal with Sony Music Entertainment Africa.
Journey of Dreams is an album by the South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, released in 1988. Journey of Dreams also served as the title of a film about frontman Joseph Shabalala, directed by David Lister and shot around the same time. Shabalala chose the title in part to describe his journey from his birthplace of Ladysmith to international success. It also refers to his desire to get the sound he heard in his dreams on to record. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Traditional Folk Recording". The group supported it with North American tour.