I try to be prepared for the moment, through understanding, and being warmed up, knowing all about chords and scales, so I don't even have to think and I can get right to what it is I want to say.

1962 to 1965, where suddenly the guitar became this icon of youth culture all over the world, thanks mostly to the Beatles. Add to that, that I saw A Hard Day's Night 12 or 13 times, and that the guitar was the one instrument that my parents absolutely refused to let in the house. So you add it up and see that irresistible forces led me to the guitar.

People sometimes say it takes a long time to become a Jazz fan, but for me it took about five seconds.

I hate the way chorus boxes sound

I think that the melodic piece of the puzzle in music is the most esoteric and difficult to quantify.

The first thing I learned was the theme from Peter Gunn.

Smokin' at the Half Note is the absolute greatest jazz-guitar album ever made. It is also the record that taught me how to play.