Learn Music with 'Graceland' Bassist Bakithi Kumalo

East End Arts (EEA) will be offering a special workshop for adult musicians with South African bassist, composer and vocalist Bakithi Kumalo, best known for playing fretless bass on Montauker Paul Simon’s classic 1986 album Graceland.

Watch Kumalo tell the story of how he met Simon in the video at the bottom of this post.

Over the past two decades, Kumalo has recorded four solo albums, three award-winning children’s albums and has played bass for dozens of albums for artists such as Paul Simon, Josh Groban, Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Edie Brickell, Chaka Khan, Joan Baez, Mickey Hart, Chris Botti, Harry Belafonte, Cyndi Lauper and Plastikman. He has also been featured in the documentary film Under African Skies. He is currently an artist-in-residence at EEA, where he is serving as the mentor for high-schoolers entering the Music Masters Mentorship program.

The 3-hour workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 25 from 5–8 p.m. on the second floor of the EEA Carriage House, located behind the EEA School at 141 East Main Street in Riverhead. This will be a hands-on learning experience, and participants are invited to bring their instrument of choice. Space is limited and advance registration is required. The workshop fee is $45. To register or learn more, visit eastendarts.org.

For more information about Kumalo’s residency, contact East End Arts Education Director Diane Giardi at 631-369-2171 or dgiardi@eastendarts.org.