Watch Bakithi Kumalo Lock In on “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” with Paul Simon
Paul Simon has shared a fantastic live performance of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” from The Quiet Celebration Concert and the rhythm section alone makes this one worth checking out.
Bakithi Kumalo is on bass, playing his Kiesel five string with the legendary Steve Gadd on drums. Gadd played on the original recording of the song while Kumalo has been part of Simon’s musical world since Graceland.
The performance was captured at McCaw Hall in Seattle in 2025. Simon added two shows at the venue specifically to film his A Quiet Celebration tour which featured the live debut of Seven Psalms along with music from across his catalog. “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” came during the first encore that night following “Father and Daughter” and leading into “The Boxer.”
The Seattle performances became The Quiet Celebration Concert which debuted on Disney+ and Hulu in June 2026. A live album from the concert is also set for release on October 9, 2026.
What a band. You can also check out the Bass Nerds Podcast with Bakithi HERE!
No Treble CEO Jody Miller is a Chicago-based bassist, guitarist, engineer, and producer best known for his bass gear demo videos and as the co-host of The Bass Nerds podcast.
