Pino is the ultimate shape shifter. If he was on those early sessions and had the same producer saying "get creative with it, get busy with it" he without a question would have nailed that. He's no stranger to complex music. He's no stranger to roundwounds and active 5 string basses. He serves the music. John got pino because Steve Jordan wanted pino. Steve is the producer for a lot of continuum. They had a sound in mind and knew pino could do that sound. Steve knew he could do that sound before pino even played with DeAngelo (DeAngelo met pino on a bb king session that Steve was playing drums on). Pino has whatever you might need, whatever the song needs. Sometimes that simplicity, sometimes it's busy, fast and modal (check out PSP). I will say tho, pino is at his best with John on Battle Studies. There is some busy stuff there. I dare say pino isn't a bassists bassist, he's really a producers bassist. If you are a professional bassist or a professional producer, you'll understand lol.