Before anything, I need to tell you about the other musicians on this recording! Tom Guarna is the guitarist. Born and raised in New York, Tom plays with a lot of my favorite musicians like Wallace Roney, Mark Turner, Branford Marsalis, Stanley Clarke, Randy Brecker, Lenny White, Mulgrew Miller, Billy Hart, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Victor Bailey, Fred Wesley, Seamus Blake, Marcus Strickland, Ben Williams, Uri Caine, Chris Minh Doky, John Benitez, Joe Locke, E.J. Strickland, Billy Drummond, the Mingus Orchestra, Jimmy Herring, Rodney Holmes, Vincent Gardner, George Colligan and Mad Science, and Manuel Valera. George Colligan is the pianist. He and Tom have been playing together for over 20 years. He's not only a phenomenal keyboardist, but he's a great drummer and trumpeter as well. George has also been heard with Cassandra Wilson, Buster Williams, Don Byron, Lonnie Plaxico, Miguel Zenon, Steve Coleman, Eddie Henderson, Dave Weckl, Richard Bona, Ravi Coltrane, Lenny White, Michael Brecker, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Mingus Big Band, AL Foster, Mark Turner, Lee Konitz, DJ Logic, Randy Brecker and Stefon Harris, among others. Reinhardt Melz is one of my best friends and seems to be the drummer on about 90% of the music I play both locally and on the road. We both tour together with Gino Vannelli and Les McCann, as well as playing in Portland bands of most every genre (funk, salsa, jazz, fusion, pop... you name it, we play it here). Reinhardt is THE in demand drummer in the Portland area and is quickly making a huge splash in the world. He's got the musical sensitivity, the chops and a musical aesthetic that is securing his place among the greats. He makes me a better bassist! Now, a thought about this project as a whole. This album is my attempt to put it all out there. The chance to make an album that puts it all on the line and creates a snapshot of who I am as a bassist today, with no compromises.