Ladysmith Black Mambazo-Shaka Zulu (1987)

 

Artist: Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Title: Shaka Zulu

Label:  Warner Bros.

Format: LP

Cat: 1-25582

Year of Release: 1987

Country and Year of Edition: US 1987 Allied Pressing Promo

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+ 

Sell Date: 7/12/22

Sell Price: $6.99

Discogs Last Sold: 10/10/21 NM/NM $15.00

Low: $3.50

Median: $7.50

Average: $7.80

High: $15.00

Current low price:$5.50

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 6

Have/Want: 133/36

Where Sold:  Valdosta, GA

Time it took to sell: 7 years

Where and When Bought: free promo

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A-

Sad To See It Go: No

I forgot how much I liked this album back in 1987.  Produced by Paul Simon after Graceland and his discovery via The Indestructible Beat of Soweto compilation Shanachie did in 1985.  Paul was late to the party since they formed in South Africa in 1960, although their first album dates to 1973.  Still, Graceland brought the group an international, boycott breaking prominence that rankles some to this day.

Shaka Zulu aka Shaka kaSenzangakhona, was the founding father of the Zulu nation,   He reorganized his army by transitioning from bloodless battles where the outnumbered would give way.  Shaka rearmed his men with long-bladed, short-hafted stabbing assegais, which forced them to fight at close quarters.  You can read more about him if you like to read about regimented armies, winning tactics, madness and eventual downfall.  Somewhere after Shakespeare and before Hitler, he allowed European settlers of 1824 to stay in his territory.  Culturally the Zulu's musical contribution was Isicathamya, a choral acapella.

Much like Shaka Zulu to the European settlers, Ladysmith Black Mambazo willingly allowed for Paul Simon's musical settlement to help expand their musical terrain for better or for worse.  Simon initially used them not only on the 1986 Graceland album particularly on "Homeless" and "Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes."  They also toured with him on that tour in a featured role.  

When it came time to do their own album for the international market,  Simon and longtime engineer Roy Halee were on board.  There aren't any instruments adorning the record.  This is what makes Shaka Zulu the album attractive to me.  They didn't try to clutter it with a "modern" approach.  As far as "World" music, this won a Grammy that year for Best Traditional Folk Recording, and this release helped them to cultivate an international touring regiment outside of what Paul Simon was doing as befitting a large group of this nature.

Since Ladysmith Black Mambazo had a lengthy career to choose from, they could pick and choose material to record for their featured time in the international spotlight.  For me, the tracks I remembered decades later were the opener "Unomathemba" and "Rain Rain Beautiful Rain."  The best one by far is the closer "Wawusho Kubani? (Who Were You Talking To?)."  That one uses group stomping for percussion.  Everyone could use a bit of well recorded natural group stomping in their lives.  

Solid listening experience start to finish.