Bakithi Kumalo is an inspirational bassist both because of his amazing ability on the instrument and because he is such a positive person. Anyone who has the opportunity to speak with Bakithi in depth will leave the conversation smiling - and inspired to pick up the bass!

David Avenius - Paul Simon asked you to come to the US to record the "Graceland" album and then to tour with him. That is where most of us began following your career - what can you tell us about your musical path up to that point?

Bakithi Kumalo - I was born in South Africa.I learn how to play the bass there at the age of seven. My uncle had a band. They used to play every weekend at home and I used to watch the bass player. He taught me how to tune the bass. After that I started to play with the local bands. At the age of 13, I went to Zulu land to play concerts. I spent about 18 months playing concerts. I went back to Soweto and I started to do a lot of studio work. After that I went to Zimbabwe for 8 months. Then, I learned to play traditional 6/8 shuffle. After that I went back to Soweto, my home town. Paul Simon came to town to do a project. Then the producer who worked on all the traditional South African music called me to come to the studio. But at the same time I was working as a mechanic. My boss called me and said "Do you know Paul Simon?" I said "no". He said "do you know the song mother and child reunion"? And I said "yes". So he let me go to the studio. Then I met Paul Simon. We start playing grooves. He loved everything I played. I was playing a fretless B20 Washburn. Then he said to me "we have to go to N.Y. to finish the album." And that was the greatest thing in the world. After that, we started to do a promotion for the album and we did Saturday Night Live and other T.V. shows. After that, we went to England to reherse for the world tour. Then I started to meet other musicians like Cindy Lauper, Mickey Hart, Laure Anderson, Herbie Handcock, Randy Brecker and many other musicians.

DA - You have a unique voice on the instrument - combining regular plucking, struming chords, and slapping. What was the inspiration behind you developing this style?

BK - At first I couldn't play with my fingers I used to play with my thumb. Then a dream came to me - it was of a man who didn't have a head, but I saw his hands playing the bass and that is when I learned how to play with fingers. That changed my way of playing the bass.

DA - Are the African styles of music as diverse as the languages? Is there a particular style of African music or musician that has influenced your playing the most?

BK - I played a lot of traditional South African music from different tribes in the studio. But the bass player that influenced me most was the bass player that plays for Mahotela Queens. His name was Joseph Makwela.

DA - Your talent and style of playing have both earned you gigs with artists from Mickey Hart (former Grateful Dead drummer) to Chaka Khan, and Miriam Makeba to Josh Groban. What is it about Aguilar Amplification that compliments your voice on the instrument so well?

BK - I did a gig not to long ago with Paul, Stevie, James, Allison and many others. On that particular gig, I used an Aguilar DB 750 and GS 410 and I fell in love with it because it gave me a tone that I couldn't get from other amps. It sounds better for the kind of style that I play. It has presence - it has all the stuff i need for my playing. I am very pleased with the equipment.

Thanks Bakithi! We'll look forward to hearing more from you at the upcoming "Bass Player Live" event on October 27th and 28th.