You have to study composition to understand that things can be done backwards and forwards and upside down, inverted, but it's mainly just an inner valid intuitive thing. Where do you want to go? Ok this is busy, or this needs some space, or this is too much space so now I want to put more notes in there or something. It's all about contrast. High, low. Fast, slow, thick or thin or what have you. And it's the same with improvisation.

The best thing is to find something you really love to do and enjoy that process for the rest of your life.

I've composed all my life and kept things, and even developed things I've done in college into something now.

There are things I've kept over the years and then someday I might pull up a program of some tune that I've done and I go "Wow, I know what to do with this now".

Sometimes I feel like a one man crusade against the devaluation of music in America and culture in the arts.

Japan and Europe seem to have a little more cultural education and so the crowds have been a little more big and enthusiastic, and the places I've played seem a little more classy.

I don't think I really started to seriously compose until around that time when I was 40.