Ladysmith Black Mambazo in Philadelphia

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African male vocal group founded by Joseph Shabalala in the 1960s. Its close harmonies and precisely coordinated movement draw on the isicathamiya and mbube traditions. The group reached a wider audience through its work with Paul Simon on “Homeless” and “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” followed by the album Shaka Zulu. The Graceland tour took the ensemble around the world with Paul Simon after their studio collaboration. A 1987 appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival documented its unaccompanied singing and choreography on a major festival stage, while the concert release Live at the Royal Albert Hall captured the same vocal format in a London concert hall.