Mabuta: Kucheza

South African music is almost always anchored by a joyous, exciting bass line. Shane Cooper celebrated one of the styles in his composition “Kucheza,” which he performs here with his band Mabuta.

“This is a style of bass line that comes from Maskandi music, which is a form of Zulu folk music,” Cooper shares with us. “Some of this kind of bass playing is what people have heard on ‘Graceland’ as played by Bakithi Kumalo.”

The South African jazz band builds off the energetic bass line while keeping a sizzling energy throughout the groove.