I sounded like myself. People be saying I sound like Miles or Clifford Brown.

As a jazz musician, you have individual power to create the sound. You also have a responsibility to function in the context of other people who have that power also.

The nerves are a problem on trumpet, because when you mess up everyone can hear it. Just remember most people are too polite to say anything about it. That should calm your nerves.

My older brother and myself always played together in bands, but we never knew we would be professional musicians.

To put on your suit and play jazz music, ... knowing that many people in your audience have never experienced any jazz whatsoever, you have to believe beyond the fear of rejection. But that fear is part of creating.

I feel like a lot of the fundamental material, I've assimilated. So now the question is: Am I going to really get into my spiritual inheritance of music and really develop my abilities?