Lotta people don't realize when you grow up with people, you have an affinity, a relationship you don't get with anyone else. After you're twenty years old, anyone you meet after that, it's different from the people you knew before.

I've been fortunate in that I've been forced to move from zone to zone.

It took me a long time to reach the decision to retire, actually, from the Art Ensemble.

In fact, since no one's been interested in my work, I took the responsibility recently to invest in my own work, so I'm producing a concert that was done at the Vision Festival in May.

The Vision Festival was packed every night, always has been for the four years it's been happening.

Well, actually, I don't consider myself a jazz legend or anything.

You know, face painting in non-Western cultures is a sign of collectivism, is a sign of one representing the community, it's not unique at all.