 Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, BAKITHI KUMALO is a Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer, and vocalist who first came to the attention of the American public in 1986 following the release of Paul Simon's epochal "Graceland" album, where his precise and sinuous bass lines thundered out a death-knell for apartheid and made critics around the world sit up and take notice. Thought of by many as one of the most talented living bassists, Bakithi possesses a unique musical style reflecting influences from around the world, including South African traditional folk, contemporary jazz, salsa, and electronica. Aside from his ongoing relationship with Simon, he has recorded and/or toured with Gloria Estefan, Jonathan Butler, Chris Botti, Ruben Rada, Harry Belefonte, Paul Winters, Miriam Makeba, Eileen Ivers, Grover Washington Jr., Vieux Diop, Laurie Anderson, Angelique Kidjo, Jon Secada, Samite, Mickey Hart, and Brazil's Chico Caesar. Kumalo has kept active as a solo artist, with five albums to his credit, as well as three Award winning children's albums with his wife, Robbi K. He released his much anticipated 6th solo recording, Change, this year. |
