We didn't collaborate, we went to see each other play. Tommy Flanagan and Kenny Burrell they were about the best two players around. I followed behind Tommy Flanagan, you know what I'm saying. I said, "all these cats can solo, I don't know how to solo." I had to come back and figure out how to solo.

Bess Bonnier was a blind pianist I grew up with. I said, "Bess you got that machine, can I use your machine?" She had a machine where you could slow down the record all the way down. She loaned it to me and that's how I learned how to solo.

All of us were all connected, there was no "white or "black." We were all connected.