My first influences in this direction as a child were the big bands of Basie, Eckstine, Gillespie, Machito and Puente. Later, I had the good fortune of working with the orchestras of Sun Ra, Bill Dixon, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp and the JCOA. The spiritual and psychological fulfillment resulting from re-establishing the relationship with the traditional ethos...serves chiefly as a balance between the inner-self and the environment.
As a young person, my first exposures to this field were the prominent big bands of Basie, Eckstine, Gillespie, Machito, and Puente. Subsequently, I was fortunate enough to work with the orchestras of Sun Ra, Bill Dixon, Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, and the JCOA. The emotional and psychological satisfaction that arose from rekindling my relationship with traditional principles...mainly serves as a harmony between my inner world and the external environment.