Though on the surface it would seem that to enjoy music should be an effortless experience, when you listen to my music it is admittedly not that easy to appreciate without some prior experience. For sure, the energy will be obvious and to some listeners possibly seem a bit aggressive, but that is an undeniable part of my playing no matter what style or situation. I will try here to make sense of my music so that you can enjoy it to the fullest. What you are hearing in any small group jazz setting is in essence a conversation between several individuals who hopefully have a history of communication and a shared language. The subject matter changes with each composition and each performance begins the process anew.
Every piece inherently contains a musical puzzle to be worked out by the players spontaneously.
What we, the musicians do with a piece of music is to apply our knowledge and technique tempered by one s emotional state to explore the given musical challenge. These come in the form of rhythmic, harmonic, sonic, melodic and structural questions. Of course, we have preconceived and habituated answers based on previous experience and practice, but the overriding goal is to be as spontaneous as possible without relying on the past or thinking about the future. In the final analysis it is the process which you, the listener, observes and to my mind is the crux of the whole matter. Just as in everyday life, when a group of individuals meet to solve common problems, each with his or her own expertise, it is the joy of mutual discovery that can be so uplifting and inspiring to witness or be involved in.