It took me a lot of years to really hear my way through the media. To really hear what someone is playing. The record companies, the magazines, radio shows, t.v. etc always telling me who the next Miles or Trane is going to be is total bullshit.

I remember a great interview of Dexter Gordon. He talked about how he tried to develop solos....developing ideas...telling a story. He described how he linked new ideas together with what he called "filler". You know, those running 8th note lines (usually around the turnarounds). Dexter mentioned how a lot of players he hears now play all "filler" and almost no ideas.

I really enjoyed a Lester Bowie interview where he described the current state of affairs in music where the "industry" actually awards players for sounding like their heros....no originality. I can't tell you how many times I've had players say to me, " Mannn you gotta hear this new cat! He sounds just like -------! He's great!" haha...I don't want to hear somebody that sounds just like --------. That doesn't mean anything to me. It only means that somebody sat at home copying the hell out of someone and forgot to let go of that and develop something of their own. I want to hear something new.