South Africa’s National Treasure Ladysmith Black Mambazo Performs Latest a Cappella Hits Introducing 2008 Release at the Kimmel Center on January 20
December 21, 2007
"Such close harmonies…they sounded like one deep, rich, resonant and proud voice"
South Africa’s national treasure Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform its latest rendition of a cappella hits at the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 3pm. The Grammy® Award winning group first reached international stardom over twenty years ago when collaborating with Paul Simon for his album Graceland - a project that began an explosive interest in World Music. Since then, Ladysmith Black Mambazo continues to live on its legacy as South Africa’s cultural emissary, performing their harmonic blend of folk, reggae and South African musical traditions at Nelson Mandela’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, among other special events and concert tours throughout the world. Dedicated to raising the consciousness of South African culture, the group has also created a Music Academy, continually funded during their U.S. tours. Their performance will include selections from their upcoming 2008 release ILIMBE: A Tribute to King Shaka, which explores the group’s return to their Zulu roots.
"Our tradition is meant to be spread around the world," Joseph Shabala, founder and leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo has said. "Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a mobile academy that teaches the world about Zulu people and culture, about South Africa and all that is wonderful here…"
This concert is the fourteenth concert in the World & Pop Series scheduled for the Kimmel Center Presents 2007/2008 season. The next concert in the series will be Jerry Blavat’s Geator Gold on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 8pm in Verizon Hall.
Tickets for Ladysmith Black Mambazo are $39, $48, $55, $62, and $65, and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center box office open daily from 10am to 6pm and later on performance evenings. (Additional fees may apply.) For group sales call 215-790-5883.
A limited number of $10 tickets are available for every Kimmel Center Presents performance at the Kimmel Center. Tickets go on sale the day of the event and can be purchased at the Kimmel Center box office beginning 2.5 hours prior to curtain time and 11:30am for matinees. Limit one ticket per person.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo was the brainchild of Joseph Shabalala, who was inspired by a "harmonious dream" and sought to bring that dream to life. Since its conception, the group has excelled in its art and has worked to teach the world about the Zulu people and culture as well as about freedom and the beauty of South Africa. The group’s first album release for the United States won a Grammy® in 1987; Mambazo was awarded a second Grammy® for Raise Your Spirit Higher in 2005. Since then, the group has recorded over forty albums, selling over six million records at home and abroad. Mambazo’s 2006 release Long Walk to Freedom features various icons of contemporary pop music, including Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Melissa Etheridge and Emmylou Harris, and was nominated for two Grammy® Awards, marking the group’s eleventh and twelfth nominations. In addition to musical awards, Mambazo’s documentary film, ‘On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps To Freedom’ was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Documentary Film in 2001 and for an Emmy Award for Best Cultural Documentary on American television. Furthermore, Mambazo’s work in ‘The Song of Jacob Zulu,’ a play written about the apartheid era, resulted in six Tony nominations. Other recent special projects include joining singer Josh Groban on his latest CD as well as appearing at several of his concerts.
Kimmel Center Presents 2007/2008 season is sponsored by Citi. Support for the Mellon Jazz Series comes from The Bank of New York Mellon. The Great Orchestra Series is supported by ARC Wheeler. Additional support is provided by the University of Pennsylvania Health System and American Express. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Kimmel Center Presents. Toyota is the Official Vehicle of Kimmel Center Presents Mellon Jazz, Mellon Jazz Up Close and World & Pop.
The Kimmel Center also receives support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The William Penn Foundation, The Wachovia Foundation, Verizon Foundation, PNC Foundation, The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and the Philadelphia Music Project and Dance Advance, Initiatives of The Pew Charitable Trust administered by The University of the Arts. In-kind support is generously provided by Deloitte. NBC-10 is a Media Partner for Kimmel Center Presents, and additional media sponsors include WDAS, WRTI, WJJZ, Afro-Pop, WXPN and WXPN's Kids Corner 20th Anniversary.
Free in the Plaza programming and subsidized tickets offered to the community and social service groups for $10 are made possible through the Wachovia Gateway to the Arts Community Access Program, supported by a generous grant from Wachovia Foundation.
KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS SPONSORED BY CITI
Sunday, January 20, 2008 | 3pm
Verizon Hall
World & Pop Series
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Joseph Shabalala
Msizi Shabalala
Russel Mthembu
Albert Mazibuko
Thulani Shabalala
Thamsanqa Shabalala
Sibongiseni Shabalala
Abednego Mazibuko
FREE AT THE KIMMEL:
Sunday, January 20, 2008 | 1:30pm and 5:30pm
Commonwealth Plaza Stage
ACANA Showcase
Join us and the African Cultural Alliance of North America for a showcase of the best African musicians in the region.
> index of news releases
> For more information, and to request high resolution images for press use, please
send us a message online.