Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African vocal group performing world music at Blue Note Los Angeles, a concert for listeners interested in a cappella and choral singing.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a vocal group from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, formed in the early 1960s around Joseph Shabalala. Its music draws on isicathamiya, a Zulu a cappella style built on close, layered harmonies, with the singers moving in choreographed steps as they perform.

The group reached an international audience through its collaboration with Paul Simon on the 1986 album Graceland, which brought its voices to listeners far beyond South Africa. Its work has since been associated with the wider tradition of Zulu choral music, and it has continued to perform on tours across the world.

The Blue Note Los Angeles is a venue for concerts and shows in Los Angeles. This evening brings the group's unaccompanied singing to its stage, suited to audiences drawn to African vocal traditions and to choral music more broadly.