ChristianMusicDaily

On himself and his band members

***I think my bandmates would say I’m a little silly, stubborn, and self-effacing. As for the group? Joel is intense, very caring, and super intelligent. Josh is hilarious and perhaps the most giving person you will meet, and a great dancer. And Mark is super smart, with a great business mind, and very caring.***

On his bass

***The bass I currently play is an electric upright bass. When the band first started, I played my old Kay Bass made in 1953. The band plays with a very wide range of dynamics including 'really loud' which can cause a lot of problems with feedback and sound. Sound just gets swallowed up by the hollow body so I had to play at a limited volume and make up the difference with my back, shoulders and hands-- very painful. So I shopped around for an electric upright that doesn't have a hollow body and the Yamaha Silent bass sounds great and feels very similar to my old Kay bass. It eliminates the sound issues, is easy to fly with, and makes me look cooler than I really am.***

On his musical training

***My dad was a professional musician for periods when I was growing up. My brother James and I always knew we would be musicians. He took to the guitar and I took to the bass. We both studied together at music college after moving to Toronto, studying jazz and classical music. I was a composition and arranging major but played most nights of the week anywhere that would have me. I used to practice a lot, but these days I rarely have time after my wife and I put the kids to bed.***

On his musical influences

***I'll have to narrow it down here. I’m into good music, particularly music that evokes emotion or calls to my spirit when I hear it. As far as bassists go? Ray Brown, Jaco Pastorius, Tony Levin, Jerry Jemmott, Pino Palladino. Check out John Patitucci, a devout Christian who bears it all through his playing—he’s the complete bass player. I’d love to meet that guy.***

On other jobs

***I've been a professional musician most of my life. I've done other jobs: computer programming, ran a manufacturing company, and fixed furnaces, but there's no other job I want to do but play/teach music that matters. I feel a responsibility to use the gifts that God has given me for a purpose. Saying that, if push came to shove I would gratefully do anything to support my wife and kids. There is merit in just about every job no matter how insignificant it may seem. Money is money-- how you get it is just in the details. Be honest and have integrity and good things will come.***

On potential fame and fortune

***So many people get lost in the wash of money and things. Growing up my parents did their best to provide for us. They were both immigrants so they had to start at the bottom of the ladder. They're doing great now but I had to go without a lot of conveniences that my schoolmates had. One thing my father always taught me was that money is transient, and things like houses, cars, and clothes can all be replaced but people cannot. Jesus is more relevant today than he's ever been. Read the Gospels and look at our world. We have everything in North America but you'd never know it.***

On playing at a martini bar

***We started playing together at a martini bar. Only one, and once that's done that's it. In fact, we still do that gig and will probably play there until our schedules won't allow it. Fact is, we play for 3 hours a night to Christians and non-Christians. We know we're reaching people-- not everyone-- but someone. There are people whose hearts are heavy who come out to get fall-down-drunk and instead end up worshipping-- IN A MARTINI BAR! As far as alcohol goes, we are always absorbed in playing music-- our music is different musically every single time we play. We're not a jam band but we switch it up on the fly every time, so temptations like alcohol just don't have room to breathe.***

On playing roots music

***There has never been a band meeting where we decided to play 'roots' music. I've always felt that soul music--in effect roots music like the 'roots' of modern R&B, rock, jazz, etc.--was a very honest and heartfelt expression of pain and suffering, with an overall feeling of hope, exactly what Jesus was pointing out when He was here seeing the world suffering and telling people to come to Him all who are weary. All four of us come from backgrounds that are quite broken and I would say that if we can offer anything to people it is to share just that-- our brokenness and experience of hope and peace through connecting with God. Forget cool culture and let's all get down to the roots of life-- roots revolution--that's my spin.***