Quote

As a kid, I used to go see all the jazz players, Oscar Peterson, Stan Kenton, Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespe.

And I used to listen to a lot of jazz.

I listen to a lot of jazz. I'm a big Sinatra geek. I love Chet Baker.

My mother was a jazz fanatic and she wanted me to play the piano so I could play jazz tunes. I wish I had learned but I was too busy getting into trouble!

As time passed on, got to hear some players who were straight up funky, not just jazz. Nat Adderley, for instance - he's a funky trumpet player, so he was my man.

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

I have a fondness for jazz, particularly for jazz singers, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald all the way through the Sinatra era.

I've been around jazz and jazz musicians most of my life.

I got my love of jazz from my stepfather, who was a jazz musician.

And I played in jazz band as well during all three years in school.