Harrogate International Centre
For more than thirty years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo have
married the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South
African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of
Christian gospel music. The result is a musical and spiritual
alchemy that has touched a worldwide audience representing every
corner of the religious, cultural and ethnic landscape. Their
musical efforts over the past three decades have garnered praise
and accolades within the recording industry, but also solidified
their identity as a cultural force to be reckoned with.
Assembled in the early 1960s in South Africa by Joseph
Shabalala then a young farmboy turned factory worker the group took
the name Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ladysmith being the name of
Shabalala's rural hometown; Black being a reference to oxen, the
strongest of all farm animals; and Mambazo being the Zulu word for
axe, a symbol of the group's ability to "chop down" any singing
rival who might challenge them. Their collective voices were so
tight and their harmonies so polished that they were eventually
banned from competitions although they were welcome to participate
strictly as entertainers.
Black Mambazo has been invited to perform at many special
occasions. By special invitation from South African President
Nelson Mandela, they performed for the Queen of England and the
Royal Family at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The group has also
performed at two Nobel Peace Prize Ceremonies, a concert for Pope
John Paul II in Rome, the South African Presidential inaugurations,
the 1996 Summer Olympics and many other special events. In the
summer of 2002, Black Mambazo was again asked to represent their
nation in London at a celebration for Queen Elizabeth's 50th
Anniversary as Monarch. They shared the stage with Paul McCartney,
Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker and Phil Collins.
Find out more at www.mambazo.com (opens in a new window)
Book tickets online for Ladysmith Black
Mambazo (opens in a new window)
 * Please note that Ticket Web charge a handling fee of 10% of
the value of tickets purchased plus a postage fee if tickets
are posted out.
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