Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Shaka Zulu
Shaka Zulu is an acapella aural sensation. I find it unlike anything else in my collection. There are a lot of percussive sounds in the acapella arrangements that give it a palpable depth. It could just be that I don’t understand a word of the vocals, as most of them aren’t in english, but I find this album just floats along below the surface while I write. The steady rhythms and percussive nature of the different tracks, despite the lack of drums, that keeps me moving along.
There is something about the harmony between the many voices which is essential so the whole thing doesn’t fall apart that gives me energy to keep on going as I write. I don’t want to give the impression that I just blank out the music when I’m listening to this album, because in those moments where I need some respite from tapping, but I generally find this album enjoyable whether I need to write or not.
I have written about this in the past but one of the things about world music that works for me is that it is not in the familiar musical patterns of songs that I’m used to. I need something different that I can’t immediately grasp onto to set me free and immerse myself in my thoughts. The sounds are sweet and harmonious, so despite the cultural differences for a westerner like me I don’t find the sounds distracting in any way. On the contrary I find this to be an album that helps me set patterns that I integrate in my keystroke pattern. This sounds pretty good when I wrote it, but I don’t know whether Zulu QWERTY is a style of writing, but it is now.
Released
1987
Lyrics
Yes in multiple languages, some in english some in Zulu.
Mood
This album has a calm feeling. The deep resonance of the vocals is definitely calming. The songs which are all acapella have percussion inserted.
Good to work to
I find this is a relaxing album to work to. It creates a different atmosphere which creates space for you to zero in on whatever you are writing. The soulful deep basses and harmonies touch me, but let me keep working.
Like
It is soulful but I don’t find it to be specifically like anything else I can think of. If you were going to give it a label I’d say world music.
The Artist/s
Formed by Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African acapella group. They gained fame as a result of their earlier work with Paul Simon on the Graceland Album but were active in different incarnations since the mid 50s and as Ladysmith Black Mambazo from the mid sixties playing weddings etc. They did not record their first album until the 1973.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo came to prominence when Paul Simon came to South Africa in 1986 to record his Graceland album. This move was extremely controversial as there were sanctions against western artists performing in South Africa due to the apartheid policies of the white South African government. The collaboration was however highly successful. Graceland sold over 16 million copies but tarnished the populations of Simon. Ladysmith Black Mambazo benefited greatly from the exposure as did a suite of other African acts.
After Graceland Simon produced Shaka Zulu as Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s first American release album. The only shared track between the two albums is homeless a co-write between Simon and Shabalala. It was hugely successful and heralded a run of others and collaborations with other major US acts such as George Clinton. They have one multiple awards and Grammys over the length of their career.
Other works
Ladysmith Black Mambazo have released many albums, but I have not listened to enough of their other albums.
I know it has been overplayed but if you like this album I would recommend Graceland, but only as an enjoyment album not as a writing album.
Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You will be able to get copies of this I any format, although chances are it will be second hand.
The Verdict
This album is a good one. Great for working to and great for changing the mood of what you are doing. Not many other albums have this level of resonance and you need to make the decision whether this will be more distracting or helpful for you. For me I find this to be a meditative album. That and the fact that I feel like singing along even though I usually don’t know the words makes it a winner for me.