There's a whole lot of songs that men just can't do. The words are from another time and represent too much of an emotional commitment, whereas women can say that because of who they are.

This is a cause that musicians can take to heart because one of our main reasons for being is to share our music with other people, and this takes us to people who probably wouldn't otherwise get to hear music on quite this level.

A lot of what I have always done is do other singers.

As far as other instrumentalists, I used to love mellow sax players like Paul Desmond. I love piano.

I am not a jazz singer. I wouldn't place myself on that footing. I wouldn't even enter that arena.

I feel fortunate that I was able to step away from it when I wasn't interested.

I love all kinds of music.

I love working with the quartet. I have more freedom and flexibility.

I really just followed my musical instincts every step of my life.

I think that it can be said of a lot of artists, and myself included, that we made the same record over and over from the beginning.

I think the women - Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu - are doing new conceptual things and using their voices to create new American music.

I was a guitar player first off.

I would say that I'm finding my voice in more ways than one.

I'm easily distracted by other things in the world around me.

I'm not a jazz singer.

My earliest influences were things I heard in my household.

My first love was the sound of guitar.

My parents were music lovers and collectors. It was around.

My songwriting and my style became more complex as I listened, learned, borrowed and stole and put my music together.

The short answer is, yes, I think I have become a better singer.