Summon your Sesame Street alphabet memories (go on, we all have ’em) and you’ll probably recall a Muppet-tastic segment featuring Kermit singing with Zulu warriors. The richly resonant voices of South African male choral group LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO on African Alphabet Song make it one of the top three most requested segments in the show’s 40 year history; YouTube it and you’ll be grinning like an amphibian all day.
LBM gained international fame in 1986 when Paul Simon featured their incomparable tenor/alto/bass harmonies on his landmark LP Graceland, though they performed in various incarnations for almost 20 years prior under the musical and spiritual guidance of Joseph Shabalala. In a gloriously deep voice with exceptionally charming cadence (even when he cleared his throat it sounded musical), founding member Albert Mazibuko spoke of the group and their leader’s resounding philosophy. “Joseph Shabalala always has the message to share with the people; the message for encouraging people and inspiring people to do the good things, inspiring people to be strong.”
The style in which LBM sing, Isicathamiya (pronounced ‘is-cot-a-ME-yah’), evolved when men working far from their families attempted to recreate the music of their homelands. “When they missed home they tried to sing the same songs… but they’d find there would be some voices missing because in our traditional music we sing together with our wives, our girls, everybody. So some of them try to sing in high voices so the music changes.” It is perhaps this element, the high keening ululation, as well as the grunting, puffing sound they make when they stomp their feet, for which LBM are so well renowned.
Beams Albert, “our music is not complete until we do the dance. It is a stomping dance. When they tried to do it when they were away, it was intimidating the other people because it was making a lot of banging sounds. A long time ago all the rooms had wooden floors and it made the other people scared. So in order for them to practice with other people around they start tiptoeing. When they go back home, the people at home, they say ‘wow, this is wonderful – they don’t stomp anymore.’ They praised the dancing and called them tiptoe guys. That’s how Isicathamiya started.”
On average LBM spend eight months of every year touring, with this year including an Australian tour. “We are always enjoying our tour; it doesn’t matter how often we do it... it’s wonderful all the time. Our show is going to be so vibrant. We have four of Joseph’s sons in the group so he performs two wonderful songs with his youngest because by doing that we are planting the seed in the younger generations, because we want them to keep going even when we are passed on,” Albert heartily proclaims. “We invite people to come to the stage to finish the show. I hope you will be one of them. Be prepared and wear your sneakers and not your high heels.”
The inexplicably talented tiptoe guys of Ladysmith Black Mambazo bring their inspirational harmonies to Canberra Theatre on Friday June 26. Tickets through the venue’s website canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
