Pop and Jazz Reviews : The Soweto Beat Animates Queens Show

Anyone wondering why South African pop was dubbed “the indestructible beat of Soweto” would have found the answer during Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens’ show at At My Place on Wednesday. The 90-minute set by the creators of the vibrant mbaqanga style displayed an irrepressible, ebullient spirit.

Punching home their rhythmically compelling, insidiously catchy three-minute songs with practiced ease, the group variously spotlighted five-part harmonies and Teaspoon Ndelu’s saxophone and pennywhistle on stirring instrumentals.

Mahlathini’s singing in his harsh “goat’s voice” (redolent of Howlin’ Wolf) is startling even when you know it’s coming, and the four Mahotella Queens don’t come close to fitting any standard “backing female vocalists” mold. They gave every bit as good as they got from Mahlathini--on “I’m in Love With a Rastaman” and others, the Queens seemed to be tolerating (barely) Mahlathini’s leonine male tomfoolery. The group appears Feb. 9 at the Norris Theatre in Palos Verdes and Feb. 10 at UC San Diego.