South African Legends
It was the South African sounds on Paul Simon'sGracelandthat first brought world music into the spotlight, and from there it's continued to shine. This album doesn't try to beThe Indestructible Beat of Soweto; instead, it covers a wider canvas of the country's musical range. Along withmbaqanga, the style that's become so recognizably South African, there's the reggae ofLucky Dube(who would love to beBob Marley), township jazz fromMiriam Makeba, straight jazz fromHugh Masekela, and the ineffable Zulu harmonies ofLadysmith Black Mambazo, whose a cappella singing has both richness and emotion. The lateMahlathiniroars in his unique lion voice (and he reallydoessound like a lion), and his backing band, the Mahotella Queens, brings "Mbube" (known in the West as "Wimoweh") back home again, where it belongs. In truth, there's not a bad track here, from the superb Soul Brothers toJohnny Clegg. As much as any one record can act as an introduction to a country, this does an excellent job.--Chris Nickson