Frank Kogan

Since I'm the one who gave the instruction, there was no way for a spontaneous image or thought of a particular instrument to cross my mind in response. But I'll bet if someone else had said, "Think of an instrument," either violin or guitar would have been there first — even if someone in the next room were playing a harmonica at the same time, or I were listening to severe techno on the computer.

I was born in Connecticut (east coast USA) in 1954; heritage Jewish, parents intellectuals, their main listening classical; dad played the violin in a university orchestra (though not for a living). I took piano and violin lessons as a child; quit in favor of guitar (unlessoned), when folk and then rock took me over. Picked up bass later; the character of my bass playing was very different from that of my guitar playing. More ebullient, less caustic. Once, over at my friend Patty's apartment, I picked up a small mbira (thumb piano) she had sitting around, and played a three against two rhythm. Patty thought I was a natural for it.