A Career Milestone I Nearly Turned Down
Early in 2026, Pete Roth asked me to step in for Mike Pratt on bass with the Pete Roth Trio featuring Bill Bruford.
Mike was due to have shoulder surgery, while the trio already had concerts booked in the UK, Estonia and Canada. My first instinct was, with respect, to say no. I already had plenty happening with Redtenbacher’s Funkestra, Masterlink Sessions and RSB Records, and stepping into an established trio felt like a considerable responsibility.
Pete, however, is a persuasive man.
We have known each other for decades and, in recent years, had regularly played jazz standards together. His house is close to the sports centre where I train, so it became easy to pop in and work through tunes from the various Real Books. Those informal sessions eventually led to our monthly Ex Cellar Jazz concerts in Kingston and gave us a strong musical understanding.
I had also known Bill for many years. The prospect of making music and travelling with two exceptional musicians—and two formidable human beings—eventually won me over.
I am very glad it did.
The concerts became one of the most significant performing experiences of my career. The music demanded concentration, trust, risk and complete presence. Pete and Bill are both musical powerhouses; together, they create something considerably greater than the sum of the parts.
The experience also made me reconsider my own approach to live performance.
How do you bring an audience with you? How much should be planned, and how much should be allowed to happen? For me, it comes down to listening closely, taking risks, leaving room for uncertainty and performing honestly, spontaneously and fearlessly.
It reinforced something I have believed for a long time: fresh music requires trust—between the musicians on stage, and between the performers and the audience.
In many ways, it also felt like a musical homecoming. During my formative years, I played in an improvising guitar, bass and drums trio. Playing with Pete and Bill brought me back to that territory, but with several more decades of experience behind me.
I nearly declined the invitation. Instead, it became a genuine career milestone.
Thank you to Pete, Bill and Mike for trusting me with the music.
