I'm a professional electric bassist. So I take professionally-informed issue with the reviewer who mistakenly states that the bass is normally buried under the drums etc. No, thank God, this hasn't been true ever since giants like John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Jaco, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, flea, Larry Graham, et al. brought the bass to the front over the past three decades!

So what? This merely highlights the one-of-a-kind style of grand-master-bassist Kumalo. He is a musical phenomenon because of his brilliant ideas and dazzling playing, not merely because he's up in the mix! Ever since this bass-genius burst onto the US scene in the mid-'80s in Paul Simon's "Graceland," listeners have had yet another "lead bassist" to grace their ears, and perpetually woodshedding bassists like me have had yet another electric-bass virtuoso to take "lessons" from: Yeah, we play CDs like these and try to "cop the licks."

Bakithi Kumalo stands alone because nobody ever did what he did and continues to do. Aside from tastefully showcasing his technical brilliance without overplaying, he digs into the deep traditional wells of his native South Africa and brings centuries of stunning melody and groove into his playing. Until he arrived in the US, nobody in the Western bass community knew anything about his art nor its sources.

Thank God he's here to stay! Yes, now he lives in the US and is a major session-player in addition to solo-artist based in the NYC-area. If I had a minute with him, I'd stutter: "Thank you, sir, for bringing the Soul of South African bass to these shores. You're an inspiration." This album does an excellent job at highlighting Mr. Kumalo's seamless integration of South African traditional music with "Western" (it's all got African roots, y'all) funk, jazz, and rock.

He constitutes another human rung on the electric-bass evolutionary/Jacob's ladder, and bassists like me are eternally grateful for his work, and humbled by his talent. Buy this CD! It gently (but firmly!) grabs you by the ears and takes you to South Africa, to the USA's funk scene, and everywhere in between. Jaco Pastorius is smiling from Heaven, 'eh bassists? And we're smiling right here. Long may Mr. Kumalo reign!
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So often times the bass is buried beneath the drums and what not.You bring it up where it needs to be.You are one dirty bitchin daddy.And when papa plays the ladies sway.Take it, Take it, Take it Awayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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