Whatever magic Bakithi Kumalo made with Paul Simon on Simon's Graceland seems lost here on Transmigration. Bakithi is a fine bass player and the musicians he has brought together are fine studio musicians too, but this CD lets one's mind wander and not along with the music. Too much like Muzak than fusion jazz, if that's what it was supposed to be.
South African-born Kumalo is a fine bassist, like I said, but for a guy who played on the Zululand Tour you would think that he would try to blend the jazz coming out of South Africa with the jazz coming out of Europe, North America or South America. That doesn't happen here, and you would think with a title like Transmigration it would be what this disk was all about. Once again, I was wrong.
The first track "Twilight Fire" sounds more like that elevator song you got stuck in your head on the way to see your dentist. The bass bounces through fine as Bakithi tickles the cords and thumps around for a bit; the rest is programmed sounds that run through the piano and drum beats. At least on the second track, "Step by Step", he uses a real sax and guitar. The bass is played at some of its higher notes, making you wonder if it is being used at all. Morris Goldberg plays a mean sax, as Kumalo's bass plays opposite. After a little dueling for a few cords, the bass line drops to its normal pitch and Kumalo adds in the guitar riffs later.
The whole CD is like this with Bakithi playing most of the instruments and using programming for other parts. Chris Pati and Bill Smith who plays piano on “Trio”, which I liked, play certain pieces such as drums on “Seems Like Old Times” and “Make Me Smile.” Smith's piano playing comes in as the straight man at first, then playfully jumbles around with the keys for a bit before falling back into the groove. With Damon Duewhite on drums, Bakithi captures the sound of jazz from few decades ago, when Miles, the Duke, the Bird, Thelonious, and all the others were pushing the music to outer reaches.
Article comments
1 - Chris Pati
No Smoking, No Fumo !
Just wanted to thank you for the review on Bakithi Kumalo's " Transmigration ", whick I produced. Although the few good comments you had for the record involved myself and my playing - How on earth could you possibly say there's no soul here ?
If this record has ANYTHING - it has soul. You incorrectly identify some of the instrumentation and samples as well. I should know. And if you can fall asleep at the wheel (as you suggest) listening to " Seems like old times "
there must have been some OTHER substance involved. Muzak - I hardly think so sir !
Shame on you !