I always make it a point to pick songs on which players really shine.

Working with people, the musical part is one thing but the personal part is totally different and just as critical. If the friendship is there and it's a lasting friendship, then it will take care of itself.

I also went to art school and learned to play a piano there, but I play by ear.

I never really thought about becoming a professional musician.

I write songs about real things... The subject dictates the mood and it goes from there, really.

Joe's been my drummer for 14 years, and we've been buddies for six years.

Once you start collecting records you learn more and more about jazz and blues.

I get most of my news from the Jon Stewart Daily Show. It's the most level commentary you can find. You have to laugh, because it's all so true. It's the closest thing to a counterculture.

The way I look at it, they're all part of my musical diary, and I can listen to any one of them and it will bring up memories of what was going on at that time.

To me, they are equally important, as they represent a certain period in my life and times. With that in mind, it really is impossible to pick favorites.

You have to pack as much as you can in an hour or 70 minutes. This time around it was 15 songs, so it was a challenge to get them all the right length so you could get them all on.