Quote

I wanted to play some more grown-up music - jazz.

I got into music when I was a little boy. My dad was always into jazz. I got my education from him. The first time I listened to jazz, he gave me a Thelonious Monk record. It was so different from anything I had ever heard. It took me a while to understand it, and I liked that. I liked the fact that it wasn't immediately palatable.

Growing up, I was very much interested in jazz music.

Jazz is a constant theme in my life. My father is a jazz pianist, and from an early age I have been surrounded by it.

I think I was supposed to play jazz.

At a certain point, I became a kind of musician that has tunnel vision about jazz. I only listened to jazz and classical music.

I was a kid living in New Jersey, who - I'd wanted to make movies since I was a little kid, so that came before music for me. But I started playing drums just as a hobby, and I wasn't even really into jazz that much.

I'm a jazz musician, and I really wanted to not miss an opportunity to have the full connection to jazz.