I've played for almost 50 years. I started playing ukelele at 8 after seeing friends of my mother playing guitars.

My parents took me to an outdoor show with The Baja Marimba Band and Al Hirt, somewhere around 1968. I remember being very impressed by Al Hirt. I had never seen anyone do improvised solos like that.

I play a Chapman Stick with 10 strings. It's a tapping instrument with five bass strings and five melody strings.

I had many influences over the decades, but the one constant has been King Crimson. I first heard them when I was about 13 and was immediately drawn to their vibe. I was in a rock band and the drummer brought the first KC album to rehearsal. It changed my whole outlook on what it meant to be in a 'rock' band.

I perform my own music, usually with a sax player and a drummer or hand percussionist. I've known the sax player since 1977. We've played together in many situations over the years.

Danny Carey. I love his combination of power, rhythmic sophistication, and creativity that infuses his music, all while maintaining solid time and a very satisfying groove.

I've performed in theaters and some outdoor shows with audiences of around 2500 people, and in bars with just a bartender and a waitress in the room. Probably my most memorable performance was playing electric bass in a pit rock ensemble performing Leonard Bernstein's "Mass" with a full choir and string orchestra.

The Beatles - Abbey Road. Practically every track is a masterpiece in songwriting, production, performance, and recording.