Long Walk to Freedom [Enhanced]

Ladysmith Black Mambazo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 24, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Heads Up
• ASIN: B000BVEKSQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,141 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #33 in Music > World Music > Africa > South Africa

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For more than 30 years, South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo has infused its township sound of Isicathamiya with rich gospel harmonies. LBM's unique sound was brought to American audiences thanks to Paul Simon's landmark Graceland, and the group has toured and recorded tirelessly since. Long Walk To Freedom is a new retrospective in which the group rerecords new versions of songs from throughout its career with help from such guests as Emmylou Harris, Sarah McLachlan, Taj Mahal, and Zap Mama as well as several popular countrymen. As with the Simon album, the North American guests' voices fit hand-in-glove with the group's warm harmonies. Highlights include "Nomathemba," which was the band's first hit in 1973, the popular "Hello My Baby," and the Graceland tunes "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and "Homeless." Though ostensibly a career retrospective, this new recording actually proves that Ladysmith Black Mambazo has never sounded better. --Tad Hendrickson

Product Description

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ladysmith Black Mambazo at their best yet, February 14, 2006

By 

Nick Lotay "Nicky" (Leeds, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Long Walk to Freedom (Audio CD)

This album proves it - Ladysmith Black Mambazo are (if not one of) the best African group of all time and listening to this album has been a very pleasant experience.

New recordings of classic Mambazo hits are contained here, featuring collaborations with familiar names Sarah McLachlan (on "Homeless", which originally appeared on the 1986 album "Graceland" with Paul Simon), Melissa Etheridge (on "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes", again from "Graceland"), Natalie Merchant (on "Rain, Rain Beautiful Rain", a track that originally appeared on the 1979 release "Ezinkulu" and the Grammy-winning 1987 "Shaka Zulu") as well as many faces from South Africa.

Zap Mama, headed by Marie Daulne, joins in on the group's "Hello My Baby", which originally appeared alongside "Rain" on "Ezinkulu" in 1979, a horde of artists including Vusi Mahlasela, Hugh Masekela and Lucky Dube appear on the anthem "Shosholoza", Taj Mahal and his wonderful electric guitar appear on Solomon Linda's "Mbube" and we have many other songs as well; "Inkanyezi Nezazi (Star and the Wiseman)", "How Long?", "Long Walk to Freedom" (originally recorded in 2000) and the South African national anthem "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" (God Bless Africa) - not forgetting the first song that the group's leader/founder Joseph Shabalala ever wrote: "Nomathemba". This version of the tune, written in 1966 and made into a Broadway stageplay in 1995, is especially haunting yet soothing.

There is not one dull moment on the album as the harmonies of Mambazo continue to entertain. Noteworthy are the "playing about" sounds on the end of "How Long?", which includes the group 'practicing' in a 'fun' way, there is also the track "Thula Thula", a brand new song that includes only the soft tenor voice of Joseph Shabalala, who displays the sadness yet joyfulness of his country's music. At the end of the track he shouts "Did you record that?" to the sound engineer before bursting into laughter!

Released to coincide with the group's 20th anniversary in the international arena and also the group's landmark 45th anniversary together as a group, "Long Walk to Freedom" is a wonderful addition to any Mambazo fans' collection. It is also a wonderful chance for new fans to discover what Paul Simon felt when he first heard the group. Isicathamiya (or "Mbube") fans will also love this release, which includes two music videos, 18 photographs (1979-2006), a biography and release information.

Classic Mambazo at their best yet - I thoroughly recommend it.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, January 26, 2006

By 

SA Fan (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Long Walk to Freedom (Audio CD)

This CD from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, with guest singers Melissa Etheridge, Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Joe McBride, Zap Mama, Hugh Masakela and a who's who of South African artists, is this multi Grammy Award winning group's finest work in years. Since their work with Paul Simon and his "Graceland" CD they continue to amaze with their beautiful harmonies.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A joyuous and inspiring walk!, February 24, 2006

By 

S. A. Krueger "World citizen" (Auburn WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Long Walk to Freedom (Audio CD)

This blend of style and content is a real feast for the soul. Fans of the group's traditional South African vocals will like the selections that feature the blended voices and beat of their past recordings, and will be intrigued by the mix of the stylings of some new friends -- well known American, Canadian and European artists. No cultural imperialism here...the foreigners bend their music to match that of Africa. The results are generally a treat. I found myself playing and replaying the CD when it first arrived. The layered texture of each individual song, and the similarly layered context of the entire song list, makes repeat listening not only a joy but a necessity. One final kudo: not only are the songs wonderful, the production is dynamic, without overpowering the voices of the artists. This is an absolute treasure.