I'm fortunate that I'm making a living at it now because I'm not equipped to do anything else.

I feel that L.A. has not always been my strongest base for support. That can be for various reasons.

The thing is this: When I play, what I try to do is to reach my subconscious level. I don't want to overtly think about anything, because you can't think and play at the same time - believe me, I've tried it (laughs).

There have been many great musicians that, Clifford Brown is one great example, I mean he died very early, 25.

I simply want to reach a level where I will never cease to make progress...so that, even on the bad evenings, I may never be bad enough to despair.

I think what we need is a more welcoming mode from the people who put on a hundred million country-western shows on television. How about a monthly jazz show?

I miss playing with Miles. I did play with him a little while before he left the planet, but even at that time I longed to maybe do some things together.