I chose the trombone because the trombone players in the marching band got to be up front with the majorettes (because of the slides) and I loved that!

I was reading Omar Khayyam, Kahlil Gibran, Rumi, L. Ron Hubbard, all sorts of philosophy. Bebop cats are like that. Curious. I wanted to know about everything.

I got a scholarship to Seattle University and I was writing arrangements for singers and everybody. But the music course was too dry and I really wanted to get away from home.

Though negative things have happened to me, God somehow let me know that becoming bitter was not the way to go. You die when you do that. Someone once told me that if you fully open your arms to receive love, you'll get some scratches and cuts on your arms, but a lot of love will come in. If you close your arms, you might never get cut - but the good stuff won't come in either.

Everybody has their idiosyncrasies.

I'm a tremendous believer and supporter in hip-hop and rap.

Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind.