They all have their own approach, which was fortuitous. Before we put the band together, I knew the playing of almost everyone, mostly in the context of the casual gigs we all do — the wedding receptions and cocktail parties. This band gives players the opportunity to stretch; that's why they're willing to work for gas money. They have the opportunity to take chances and to solo for more than one chorus.

To learn about it in some depth, so that we understand the background, the thinking and hopefully then we'll work with the Onondaga Nation and their people to achieve a just and fair resolution to their action.

We want another year before we record an entire CD. Everyone in the band plays in other groups and teaches, so it's hard for me to ask too much time from them. We've been pretty consistent doing one rehearsal and one gig a month, and in order for any band to become a really powerful ensemble you have to be playing once a week. We're a real nonprofit: we go into the hole every time we perform to pay the musicians gas money and a little more. Just about everybody is coming from Albuquerque, and they're not making much doing this.

It's a pretty common thing with an orchestra. When I was living in the Village and going to see the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, that's what they did.

They all have their own approach, which was fortuitous. Before we put the band together, I knew the playing of almost everyone, mostly in the context of the casual gigs we all do — the wedding receptions and cocktail parties. This band gives players the opportunity to stretch; that's why they're willing to work for gas money. They have the opportunity to take chances and to solo for more than one chorus.

We didn't think it was particularly pertinent to what we'd be testifying about. I can only testify to the facts as I know them, and that's it.