Grammy Winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo Comes to Scottsdale

On Feb. 2 at 8 p.m., multiple Grammy® Award-winning and current double Grammy Award-nominated male vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo will infuse the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts with its compelling blend of South African traditions and gospel sound.

The group burst forth on the pop scene in 1985 when its rich harmonies were the backdrop to singer Paul Simon on his album, Graceland. It went on to concertize around the globe and make recordings of its own, winning four Grammys along the way.

The group's appearance at the Virginia G. Piper Theater will come five days after the Grammy Awards presentation in New York, when Ladysmith Black Mambazo finds out whether it won for either or both of the 2017 albums for which it was nominated: Songs of PEACE & LOVE for Kids & Parents Around the World (Best Children's Album) and Shaka Zulu Revisited (Best World Music Album). The nominations are the group's 18th and 19th.

Regarding Songs of PEACE & LOVE, Ladysmith Black Mambazo member Albert Mazibuko says, "With this children's album, we want to share our songs of peace and love with the little ones. We want parents to have a collection of songs with a positive message to listen to with their kids. We know firsthand how hard it is to raise children in a world of conflict, in a world where kids need positive role models and words of encouragement. We hope our songs can be an important part of the lessons of peace and love that all parents want to fill their children with."

Shaka Zulu Revisited is a re-recording of the first album the group released internationally 30 years ago. Ladysmith Black Mambazo now comprises mostly different personnel, so the album is a tribute of sorts to the current members' predecessors, and especially to its founding artistic director, Joseph Shabalala, who retired in 2014 and handed over the group's direction to his four sons.

Tickets:
$69 (M $61) / $49 / $39
Free for eligible veterans, students and teachers. Patrons 29 and under, 50 percent off.

SCOTTSDALE ARTS

Through its partnership with the City of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational opportunities that foster active, lifelong community engagement with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through three acclaimed divisions - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Scottsdale Public Art - serving more than 400,000 participants annually.

SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Since 1975, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has provided a stage for a wide range of artists and genres, creating shared, inspiring experiences for the community that celebrate artistic excellence and cultural awareness. Today one of the premier performing-arts halls in the western United States, the Center presents a diverse season of music, dance, theater, comedy and film from around the world.

LOCATION AND PARKING

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. Second St. in downtown Scottsdale. Free parking is available in the public parking garage located to the west of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wells Fargo Avenue. Additional free parking is available at the Old Town Parking Corral at East Second Street and Brown Avenue and at the Civic Center Library parking garage located on Drinkwater Boulevard at East Second Street.

ACCESSIBILITY

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers performance accommodations to enhance audience members' experience, including: American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or live audio description with two weeks advance notice. Assistive-listening devices and wheelchair seating are also available. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/accessibility/ or contact the Member and Patron Services Box Office at 480-499-TKTS (8587) [TDD: 480-874-4694] for further details. Please inquire about services when ordering tickets.

TICKET DISCOUNTS

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of ticket discounts for Scottsdale Arts members at the Friends level and above, groups of 10 or more and those purchasing packages to four or more events in one order. The Center provides free tickets to selected events for eligible students, teachers and active-duty military and veterans, and 50-percent off tickets to selected events for patrons 29 and under. Visit www.ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/visit/tickets-discounts/ or call 480-499-TKTS (8587) for more information.