The Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts is proud to host Ladysmith Black Mambazo for a high energy night of music on Wednesday, Feb. 8. More information and tickets are available here.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a premiere Grammy award winning a cappella group, hailing from South Africa. Over the past 50 years, the group has toured all over the world, captivating audiences with the intricate rhythms and harmonies derived from their native South African musical tradition.

The group was first assembled in the early 1960s by Joseph Shambalala, a young farmer turned factory worker who gave the group its unique name. Ladysmith is the name of Joseph’s hometown; Black is a reference to the oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; and Mambazo is the Zulu word for chopping axe, a symbol for the group’s ability to “chop down” any singing rival who might challenge them.

The group borrows heavily from a traditional music called isicathamiya (is-cot-a-ME-Ya), which developed in the mines of South Africa. Poorly housed and paid worse, the mine workers would entertain themselves after a six-day week by singing songs into the wee hours of the morning. When the miners returned to the homelands, this musical tradition returned with them.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s latest tour features songs from their newest Grammy nominated album, Walking in the Footsteps of Our Fathers, as well as many classic favorites.

Below, watch Ladysmith Black Mambazo perform their song “Homeless” at the KEXP studios in Seattle.

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