I came along in the '60s having absorbed as much as I could up until then and added my own tastes and search into the equation. I guess that's how I see 'Now He Sings, Now He Sobs' in relation to the development of jazz in general.
When I hear the piano played in a compositional way, like in a songwriter's way in a compositional way, there's a certain arc to that that I love.
Talking about the body getting old, there's a sadness to it in a way.
Without a doubt, my richest relationships are my long-term friendships with musical partners, because we make music together. That's what we love to do with our lives.
Every time I see a musician - it doesn't matter what age - that inspires me, there's always a secret little wish that maybe we'll play together, because that's how I learn and grow and so forth, you know. But hopefully there's a lot more.
Only a spiritual being has awareness.
I enjoy playing the band as the band. I 'be' the whole band and I'm playing the drums, I'm playing the guitar, I'm playing the saxophone. To me, the most wonderful thing about playing music is that.
You don't have to be Picasso or Rembrandt to create something. The fun of it, the joy of creating, is way high above anything else to do with the art form.
My one thing is I continue to be interested and want to be a student. I don't want to be a master. When I'm learning something, I'm in my element.
People in the music business say don't make too many records because they'll compete against one another.
You'll find little schools of musicians experimenting with different ways of making music in Brooklyn, all through Manhattan, in Queens, in Jersey, you know? The city is still bubbling with creativity.
I've noticed that the more adventurous and in that mode that I am, it seems that the more the audience really likes it.
I like Stevie Wonder as my favorite non-pianist pianist. I mean, I shouldn't call him a non-pianist, because he's really a great pianist, but he doesn't feature it that much - he uses his keyboards and his piano technique to support his great songs and so forth, but he can really blow.
I decided that I didn't want to spend my time in a liberal arts college.
It's a constant challenge to get your arrangement and musical expression across to a new audience, especially when you're playing live every night like we are.
Art is a subject that is inundated with opinions. In fact, that's all it is about is opinions.
My wife, Gayle, is a wonderful musician and singer. We share music, so it's a deep bond.
I don't think any artist really knows why a song gets popular.
You get a zero at the end of your age number, and you get some extra attention. That's what I found out.
I call myself a teacher because they want me to call myself a teacher, but actually, what I'm doing is I'm studying.
