Question and Answer

Pat-- I am a young (17) jazz guitar player and I have been a student of jazz for a few years. Although right now I come from a more straight-ahead school than you do, I have always been a fan of your music and it has taught me a lot. My question is this: Have you ever considered putting out a solo album with more straight-ahead sensibilities? I have a Joshua Redman disc called "Wish" that you played on, and IMHO your work on that is simply incredible. Also, I have been wondering this for a long time... when you write, do you base songs on a "visual" picture in your head? It seems this way because usually when I listen I get a very detailed "visual" picture.

well, when i was 17, i was only really interested in straight ahead kind of playing.as time went on, it seemed to me that my job was to find new ways of playing and thinking as an improvisor and that just playing straight ahead forever was kind of an insult to all of the great musicians who had dedicated their lives to finding their own paths. i guess i was wrong, because about 5 years after i started making records, almost every new young jazz musician that came along seemed to want to make a name for themselves by re-doing music that had already been done before with slight variations. the jury is still out on everything, but i still believe that my instincts were right. on the other hand, i like to play with people who love to play whatever they want to play - if it's standards and blues and stuff i will always enjoy it cause i grew up playing that way. but i still think that each generation has an obligation to come up with some new stuff.