I've made more than 50 records with a wide range of music. I've often veered to check something out.

I grew up in a farm town in Indiana. In the early years I played by myself, because there were no other musicians around.

I know of musicians who have played together for decades who hate each other. The Modern Jazz Quartet for one.

I was a big fan of Jim Hall as well. I liked his comping style, his accompanying. And that he played, generally, four note chords, the top four strings of the guitar.

Most people learn to improvise on their own, listening to records, endless hours of noodling on their instrument in the bedroom with all their spare time. That's traditionally how people learn.

I was surprised when I finally moved to Boston and the East Coast, to discover that there weren't that many vibraphone players around. And I was the only one playing with four mallets.

Improvising musicians are musical travelers, voyagers. There is a freedom to wander the musical landscape.