renato...

Most everyone has a friend that, even though you may not seem them for a while, you are able to pick right up where you left off. There's no hangups about why haven't you called. It's a very refreshing thing, life takes you down a different path for a week or a month or even a year or more, and then next time you get together it's just as if you were hanging out last week. I have a musician friend that's like that.

Renato and I used to play together a lot. But things change, groups dissolve, gigs dry up and then next thing you know you're running with a different circle of musicians. I love to play jazz, but as an electric bassist there's generally more work avaiable for me playing r&b. Renato on the other hand mostly plays straight-ahead jazz—which primarily utilizes acoustic bass. So although we enjoy each others playing we don't often get a chance to play together.

We did however have such a chance last night. I was asked to pull together a trio for a fundraiser and naturally I thought of Renato right away. I tell you what, I have to find a way to get more gigs with Renato, his playing is really special. There's a joy, a goofyness, a fun sense of controlled abandon to his playing.

He's the type of guy that you could call up and have a conversation like;

"Hey, Renato what's new?"

"Not much, I totalled my car but everything's beautiful man!"

The whole time he has a big smile on his face, he just exudes positivity and you can hear it, feel it and see it when he plays. I have got to stop worrying so much....