Things dribbled in in dribs and drabs through my 20s. But it was a struggle.

Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the guy we should all be emulating." The king! So look, I'm so blessed that my first hero took me in.

Love the process and you’ll love what the process produces.

You're not going to have any pension or health care from those $60 nights at you name the club. But I think you do this because you have to do it. You pursue any art form because you need it. Because you love it.

I had a really nice association with Richie DeRosa, a great musician, a great drummer and composer and arranger. And I had a number of classes with him.

I saw that [music] reflected in my mother when we listened to these records [of Bob Gordon]. And I felt it too.

Instead of being disappointed about where you are, be optimistic about where you are going.