The instrument with which he shares all kinds of color and musical stories has many names, bass, acoustic bass, double bass, and upright bass. I am pretty sure Mike does not have as many names but whatever you call the instrument he plays, you know what it can do when you hear it played by him. It is an instrument that, whether plucked or bowed by Mike, stands out without even a glance at, or of, trepidation. Mike makes it a proud leader and that’s the spirit with which he plays at all times.
Pride. The sound comes with a kindness and a kind of sweet patience.
I have often referred to Mike as the smiling bass player but truly when you see him live the smile is a shared one. Shared between player and instrument and he shares exploration of emotions cradling and expertly coaxing tonal colors.
In the band, or leading the band, you can feel how he hears everything around him, and with that listening, which I think he does with his whole soul, Mike allows spaces to be as special as the notes and phrases.