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

There are a few things that I will hopefully be credited for as a pioneer. One is my four-mallet playing. Another one is the starting what was first called jazz rock in 1967 when I started my first band, later became jazz fusion by the 1970s.

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

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

But if you listen to great piano players, both classical and jazz, theres a huge range of dynamics and colors and emotional expression thats possible with the instrument.

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've discovered all kinds of music and done all kinds of music over the past 40 years, from playing tango with Piazzolla to all the different bands I've had.