Bakithi Kumalo, born on May 10, 1956, in the Johannesburg township of Soweto, South Africa, is a bassist, composer, and vocalist. He began his musical journey at age seven, filling in for his uncle's bass player. Kumalo worked as a session musician in the 1970s and early 1980s, becoming a top session bassist in South Africa. His breakthrough came in 1985 when he was introduced to Paul Simon by producer Hendrick Lebone during the sessions for Graceland. Kumalo's fretless bass playing on "You Can Call Me Al," became iconic. He traveled with Simon to New York City, commuting between Soweto and New York before settling permanently in the United States. Since then, he has toured regularly with Simon and released several solo albums, including Sanibonani (1998) and What You Hear Is What You See (2021). Kumalo has also collaborated with artists such as Joan Baez, Cyndi Lauper, Herbie Hancock, and Mickey Hart.
