It's a complicated story [hoe I got into music ]. I actually wrote a book about it, titled For Sue.

There are a lot of different ways you can be a part of this music and love it and make a contribution that's personal to you.

Barry Harris had a club called Jazz Cultural Theater and there were sessions there on a regular basis. I remember being there and sitting in with [Charles] McPherson and Barry being there, and just smiling at me. He didn't talk to me much at the time, he just came up and gave me a smile, which meant a lot. I've since gotten to know him and been around him a little bit.

[Phil Wood] knew about wine. He knew about food. He knew about art. He knew about classical music. He was interested in things.

We listened [with my mother] to [Frank] Sinatra and Glen Campbell and we had some Beatles records that I liked. This was in the '70s.

[Phil wood] put on some [Igor] Stravinsky and say to follow the score, tell me to play me the opening to the Rite of Spring. Or, "I'm going to play you some 20th century obscure classical composer you don't know". Or, "Let's listen to some Charles Ives, let's sight read some Bartok violin duets", etc.

Connection to the music and the history was very powerful to me. I think that's what I feel the most blessed about.