You took up guitar at a young age, and then saxophone, playing both on some of your early gigs. Why did you ultimately focus predominantly on the saxophone as your main instrument?

Actually I still play both when I perform, but here are a few things that drew me to the saxophone. My cousin, guitarist Eddie Capuano had a working band and the lead instrument was always a saxophone. I was eleven or twelve and I would watch them rehearse in his basement in Totowa, New Jersey. I was mesmerized by the sound of the saxophone players. Soon after Eddie and my dad got me listening to great recordings by players like Stan Getz, Paul Desmond and David “Fathead” Newman who played the wonderful sax solos on Ray Charles' records. Later, when I got to Berklee, I was drawn to Cannonball Adderly, Ernie Watts (who was also a student) and most of all altoist Charlie Mariano, who I studied with.

The number of artists you've shared the stage with over the years is staggering. There must be some standouts for you in that group. Who would they be?

Wow, I'll try to give a short list. I'd have to say singing in front of The Glenn Miller Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall In London with jazz clarinetist Buddy De Franco was a thrill. I played an alto solo on "Moon River" with singer Andy Williams on national TV. He was a consummate professional. I got to jam with the late Boots Randolph. He was amazing. More recently I played concerts with smooth jazz star David Pack and folk artist Nanci Griffith. Both were great fun to work with. Also, I'd have to say playing with my band at the Clearwater Jazz Festival, concerts and clubs like the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville have healed my soul. We opened the club and twice a year we play and back up eleven artists including people like Rita Coolidge, Janis Ian and recently Delbert Mc Clinton But I'd have to say being on stage hundreds of times with my friend Crystal Gayle has enriched my life. She has an amazing voice and a magical aura on stage and she always gives a hundred percent.

Of the dozen songs on your new album NIGHT BLUE, eleven were penned by you. How would you describe the difference between the satisfaction you experience composing and what you experience as a performer?

Performing is instantly gratifying or not, depending on your connection with the audience. A song or composition can often take awhile to come to life .I like to do a work tape before I even demo a tune and then maybe I’ll bring in musicians to do a master recording.

You have broad experience with many genres of music... from big band to country, from rock to jazz... as a composer, arranger, instrumentalist, and vocalist. Where, in your opinion, does Smooth Jazz as a format fit into all of this, and how relevant do you feel Smooth Jazz will be moving forward?

I guess I was a Smooth Jazz fan before it was called Smooth Jazz. I love good rhythm and blues; good pop music and good melodic, creative jazz. Smooth Jazz does all of that. I love the role the saxophone has played in the genre. As far as the future goes, I think players and singers need to seek there own styles more and not just emulate the giants of the past. Kirk Whalum is a great example . He sounds like no one but himself and yet he still manages to wow large crowds. If radio and labels allow artists to stretch out, audiences will continue to be attracted to Smooth Jazz.

Beyond your musical pursuits, what else excites you creatively?

Movies and video. I watch a lot of movies (mostly on TV) at home or in hotel rooms. I especially like the films made in the late forties. The so called Film Noir films. They had a big affect on my last two projects, ALL IN BLUE TIME and NIGHT BLUE. I’m also a kind of a video geek. I carry a fairly good camera on the road with me and I enjoy making my own music videos (I’ve had two of them on VH-1) and I sometimes attempt to make comedy-drama videos using band and road crew members as the cast. I’ve put some of them on You Tube.

You're originally from Jersey, and after numerous stops along the way, ended up in Nashville, where you've been based for many years now. What about Nashville do you enjoy the most?

Besides being a beautiful place, the town accepted what I do with open arms. I was living in L.A. before I moved here and I loved the work and the musicians but I don’t like driving. Because of where I live in Nashville, I rarely have to get on a freeway. Music Row, where most of the work is, is only a few miles away. As I write this, I’m looking at a small heard of deer grazing in my backyard! Besides playing the Bluebird, I’ve been playing every Wednesday for the past few years at a little place called Brown's Diner with my quartet (Ric Lonow on drums, Toni Sehulster on bass and Mike Loudermilk on guitar) and it is the most fun. Plus the musician-singer talent pool here rivals any place in the world.