I was pretty put off of cabs after a run of unpleasant experiences. (Cabs are a good thing to be ‘off’ of it turns out, as it helps with being thrifty — “Just 8 miles? Nah, I’ll walk.”) But today I was ti-red and was carrying both my bass and a whack of heavy groceries. The heck with it I thought, I’m getting a cab.
Carrying a bass leads to a lot of interesting conversations. Which is both good and bad. Because if you’re feeling antisocial (ah, as I do, much of the time), you’re not too keen to be carrying around a honking big conversation starter. But on the plus side, the conversations it starts tend to be uplifting ones. People who are inspired to take up an instrument [cuz I’m doing it, and I’m ever so old 😉 ], people who fondly remember playing, people who just went to a great show… etc.
But today, in the cab, I got my best conversation so far. As soon as I got in, the driver asked if I was a musician (I was especially unkempt today, in a way that may have been perceived as “rock-like”). The driver who had a very strong Buena Vista Social Club vibe. Who plays guitar and bass. Who was recording in the studio just the other day. So we chatted all the way home. About 4 vs 5 vs 6 string (apparently I am missing the boat with my little 4-string, as it’s all about the 5 these days). About the role of bass in a band. About ‘catching’. About humming a bassline to get the “genuine” one. And so on. And occassionally, when he was imparting something really important, he would turn all the way around (at red lights) and make sure I was onside. “You have to hum it to really feel the good bassline, not just play the obvious notes, you know what I mean?”
Even though I am a total music noob, at some point I made a comment about the difference between a guitar player who plays bass, and a true bassist. I was rewarded with a deep, knowing nod and a solemn “yeah man, yeah”.
Yeah.