It's Part Of My Nature. I Get

So Much Of What I Create Has Been Due To The Influence Of Miles Davis And Donald Byrd, And So Many Of Those That Have Passed On. Their Music, Their Legacy Lives On With The Rest Of Us Because We Are So Highly Influenced By Their Experience And What They Have Given Us.

A Jazz Musician Is Not A Jazz Musician When He Or She Is Eating Dinner Or When He Or She Is With His Parents Or Spouse Or Neighbors. He's Above All A Human Being . . . The True Artform Is Being A Human Being.

In World War Ii, Jazz Absolutely Was The Music Of Freedom, And Then In The Cold War, Behind The Iron Curtain, Same Thing. It Was All Underground, But They Needed The Food Of Freedom That Jazz Offered.

Fact Is That I Played Piano And Performed, As A Young Kid, A Mozart Piano Concerto With The Chicago Symphony Orchestra . Don't Forget I Was Only Eleven-years-old And To Be On The Stage At That Age Had Tremendous Impact On Me. Basically Love For Classical Music And Performing As A Kid On The Big Stage Probably Led Toward This Decision, Which Meant That Music Is Going To Be My Big Love But Also My Profession.

Music Is The Tool To Express Life - And All That Makes A Difference.