Teaching peers is one of the best ways to develop mastery.
It keeps me in touch with younger musicians who are constantly saying, 'Have you heard this new artist, or this new guitar player?' It keeps you reaching.
Improvising musicians are musical travelers, voyagers. There is a freedom to wander the musical landscape.
Most people learn to improvise on their own, listening to records, endless hours of noodling on their instrument in the bedroom with all their spare time. That's traditionally how people learn.
Without doubt, the foremost band for decades has been the One O'Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas. Through its many incarnations and under various leaders, they have demonstrated the highest qualities of musicianship imaginable, plus a willingness to balance their big band tradition with creative exploration. Astounding ensemble work, insightful interpretations of the arrangements, imaginative writing, and above all, a loving attention to musicality. . . these people play beautifully.
It hasn't been hard getting nominated, but winning it is another thing. The competition is tough.
There are a few things that I will hopefully be credited for as a pioneer. One is my four-mallet playing. Another one is the starting what was first called jazz rock in 1967 when I started my first band, later became jazz fusion by the 1970s.
When you are in difficulties, look upon the overcoming of them as a great adventure.
I think perhaps the most important problem is that we are trying to understand the fundamental workings of the universe via a language devised for telling one another when the best fruit is.
To those who have given up on love: I say, "Trust life a little bit.
The only mystery in life is why the kamikaze pilots wore helmets.