|
Like most people in the West, I discovered Ladysmith Black
Mambazo when they provided backing vocals on
Paul
Simon's amazing
Graceland
back in 1986. I remember that Simon got some grief over
that, with accusations of exploiting the group and their culture for
his own purposes, as well as for cooperating with the Apartheid regime
then still in power in South Africa. Things have changed more than a
little since then; Raise Your Spirit Higher commemorates the
tenth anniversary of the end of Apartheid. And the group's vocals are
even more powerful without Simon's pop sensibilities. Their blend of
Christian gospel and a South African miners' traditional song style
called isicathamiya speaks to us of the will to endure in a
way that goes beyond mere words.
|
