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 think I always have been someone who likes to push at the edges of things, looking for something different.

Certainly one of the more common experiences in the jazz field is discovering someone new. Improvising musicians are capable of being musical travelers, voyagers. We want to join in on whatever we hear. There is a freedom to wander the musical landscape.

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.

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

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.