Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain, The Very Best of (Wrasse Records WRASS 139, 2004)

There can be no doubt that the collective voices of Joseph Shabalala and his troupe still raise the small hairs on the back of the neck with their distinctive and wide-ranging harmonies. They have been doing this for a long time now and know just how to touch the minds and bodies of listeners who may be totally unfamiliar with the Zulu language. Such is the power of certain music to reach across cultures and frontiers.

It must have been difficult to select a 'very best of', which is the subtitle of this double CD, but then any anthology poses such problems. Wrasse have come up with a compilation that ought to please the majority of fans and probably enlist a few more converts. There are many favorites present, including 'Inkanyezi Nezazi' or The Star And The Wiseman, and their treatment of 'Nkosi Sikelel'i' which is mixed with another song of inspiration, 'Shosholoza'. They also revive the traditional 'Mbube', not that it needs any revival.

Those who came to the Ladysmith Black Mambazo sound via their association with Paul Simon will welcome the inclusion of 'Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes' and while it is an attractive and memorable song it isn't the strongest showcase for their voices. Better is another Simon related piece, 'Homeless', mixing their native tongue and English to interesting effect. It is one of those acappella moments when the voices are engaged in multi-facetted swapping of harmonies without any other interference. It is a joyful noise, as is Shabalala's 'Halala South Africa'.

What I find less interesting are the collaborations with Dolly Parton and China Black. The latter, on 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot', bring little to the Ladysmith sound and the track features totally unnecessary chanting crowds and mechanical drumming. Ugh! Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine' featuring Des'ree is another one to avoid since it adds nothing to the original and isn't a particularly flattering outing for L.B.M. Imagine those glowing voices submerged under a slab of lame funk. Well that's what happens! Maybe I'm a purist but I find these 'celebrity' guests an intrusion that devalues the music.

Luckily there are many many more moments to cherish and when the voices are given uncluttered space, as they mostly are, they are as thrilling and ecstatic as ever.

[Buy the Ultimate Collection by Ladysmith Black Mambazo now].