I was commuting three to four hours a day, I had jobs for much of it. But I was always involved in going to some ensemble someplace. Taking my lessons at the local Jewish community center on Staten Island.

Hearing Sonny Rollins live... that was really amazing. There were so many things that really blew me away at that time [of schooling].

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.

Joe Henderson with Ron Carter and Al Foster at the Vanguard was just wow. And the energy of the three of them.

I got to talk to Mel Lewis a lot as a teenager. I think that's what really impacted me the most around that time.

Leadership is not just about what you do but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do.

I got to talk to people like Mel [Lewis] and Milt Hilton and Benny Carter and Clark Terry and... Jay McShann. I just found myself in some circumstances, on some gigs or sometimes in clubs, with the ability to talk to some of these people. Just being around their energy and being around that history was invaluable. And what I normally say to young people that are getting into the music, if you can and go... now there's less of those folks around, sadly.