Bakithi Kumalo Finds a New Groove for Paul Simon’s “Quiet Celebration” Live Album
In April 2025, Paul Simon kicked off the Quiet Celebration Tour. It was an unlikely, unexpected return to music, as he had stopped performing because of hearing loss. Now, the tour’s magic has been released as a nearly two-hour live album called Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert.
“It’s enabled me to play with musicians again,” Simon said of getting back on the road. “I really missed it. Everybody has enjoyed the experience so much, there’s been a feeling of camaraderie and elation that we were playing this piece of music that we were really interested in, and that had a significant effect on me. It made for one of the most extraordinary tours I’ve done – maybe the most joyous.”
The album begins with the 35-minute “Seven Psalms” before launching into select tracks from Simon’s incredible catalog. Longtime bassist Bakithi Kumalo anchors the band, adapting his sound and technique to the tour’s quieter stage setup. In an episode of The Bass Nerds, Kumalo explained that he had to adjust his gear and playing.
“There’s a lot of adjustment for this tour, which is why they call it the ‘Quiet Tour,'” he explained. “I can’t use 4x10s and a 1×15 speaker. I’m using four 5-inch speakers from Phil Jones on stage, but the bass is going through a DI for the massive sound out front. On stage, it’s less volume. The sound changed for his hearing. The bass would be too much low end for his hearing. I play differently now. I’m using more muting so I can control the longer notes. Mostly it’s about supporting the foundation, especially when we play songs like ‘Graceland’ and ‘Under African Skies.'”
You can watch Kumalo in action with this clip of “Under African Skies,” featuring Simon singing with Edie Brickell. The bassist takes center stage at the end to wrap the song up with vocalizations.
Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert is available now on CD, vinyl and digital platforms (Apple Music, and Amazon Music).
Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert Track List:
- Introduction
- Seven Psalms
- Graceland
- Slip Slidin’ Away
- Homeward Bound
- The Late Great Johnny Ace
- St. Judy’s Comet
- Under African Skies
- Rene & Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War
- Rewrite
- Spirit Voices
- The Cool, Cool River
- Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard
- Father & Daughter
- 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
- The Boxer
- The Sound of Silence
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
