When the Grateful Dead needed a quality sound system to deliver our sonic payload, I learned electronics and speaker design.

The voice of the drum is a spirit thing.

A good groove releases adrenaline in your body. You feel uplifted, you feel centered, you feel calm, you feel powerful. You feel that energy. That's what good drumming is all about.

Egyptian drumming happens to be a favorite of mine. It's a really simple instrument, but it's really difficult to play. You can take it anywhere with you - you can play it in your room, in an airport. It's very quiet, so you explore the quiet side.

Art in the classroom not only spurs creativity, it also inspires learning.

What is the best music is impossible to define. Just because it's played by a virtuoso player, doesn't mean it's great music. It might not reflect the soul of a people, which is really my criteria for great music.

In the beginning, there was noise. Noise begat rhythm, and rhythm begat everything else.