What is unique about this group compared to others you have played in?

"To me, the guys in this group are not only great musicians, but wonderful human beings. We seem to think a lot alike musically."

"We are all great friends....and we like to eat together."

"I have played with an organ group for over 10 years and this is the first group of mine with a bass player."

“Since each player brings their peculiar way to the music, the uniqueness of Mfrost5 and every other band is informed by the players.”

Favorite tune the band has done to date?

"Bye Bye Blackbird. Steve's muted trumpet smokes."

"Search For Peace."

"Society Red."

"Blossom."

“Anything played well is my favorite.”

If you weren’t playing your instrument, what instrument would be your second choice to master and why that one?

"I actually play the piano a little bit. I want to get my piano chops together more. I want to be like Tom Vaitsas when I grow up."

"Bass."

"Piano. It would improve my overall musicianship, and I wouldn't have to carry an instrument to the gig. Second choice would be sax...just to prove once and for all that it's easier to master than trumpet (ha!)."

"Drums, Expressing my thoughts through rhythm only intrigues me."

“Cello – I started on violin, and cello combines the better qualities of violin and bass.”

Top 3 non-jazz musicians/groups you like to listen to:

"Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and James Taylor."

"Joe Sample, Nikos Papazoglov, Ravel."

"Lauren Frost, Luciano Pavarotti, Chicago."

"Mozart, Sting, Boston."

“Classical Indian music, Rachmaninoff, and Hindemith.”

Favorite city to play jazz in and why?

"New York City. Never played there."

"Three Oaks, MI - the Acorn Theatre."

"Chicago. Great tradition, great fans...less travel time."

"Anywhere people will listen."

“The attitude of the listeners determine the focus and energy of the music more than the location. Chicago’s pretty good, though!”

Aside from getting paid (ha, ha!), what is the most important aspect of live jazz shows to you as a musician?

"I think the most important aspect to me is that my playing places value on the music, making every note count, and playing with a reverence to all the masters that showed us the way."

"Connecting with the audience, making them feel the music."

"The response from the audience. The interaction with fellow musicians ~ or ~ Another opportunity to wear all black and the occasional free drink."

"I like to do my part to keep the music alive and bring it to new audiences."

“Using the energy of the audience instead of my to own play. As playing is spiritual to me, however, I don’t need any audience to play.”

If you could have dinner and drinks with a famous musician, who would it be, why and where would you take them for dinner and drinks and why there?

"James Taylor...because his music has touched my life in many aspects. I would take him to the Village Vanguard in NYC."

"Ravel...not sure where we'd eat, but I'd ask him what inspired him to write my all time favorite, 'Bolero'."

"Quincy Jones. He is from Chicago, played trumpet, and has worked with all the greats...from Clifford Brown to Frank Sinatra. I would let him pick the spot."

"I would like to have dinner with Sonny Rollins. I would take him to Rosebud on Taylor street and talk about the early days of Jazz."

“I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve already had dinner and drinks with many famous musicians. The only difference between a famous person and a non-famous person is that they’re famous. I prefer smart, funny, honest, and open people. Both famous people and non-famous people can be that. It’s who you’re with, not where. I’ll eat anything – I usually defer to others as to where and why. Do I have to pay?”

Why play jazz and not something more ‘commercial’?

"Musically, jazz is my first love. I was fortunate to grow up in a musical family where this wonderful music was honored."

"I love all styles, but there is the freedom in jazz for harmonic and rhythmic interplay - more creating."

"Chris Botti is younger, and better looking (well, at least younger!)."

"When you play jazz it is always a different experience even when you play the same song on a different gig. It is creating on the spot."

“Music has a sacred element to it. Changing music in any way to make more money would be sacrilegious. Make your money in a different way.”

Who or what would you say influences music the most today?

"I am not really sure, but probably the Internet."

"Unfortunately, money."

"Big industry, and an increasingly uncultured public."

"Unfortunately there is a lack of music appreciation in society today. And since people generally don't appreciate good music there is a lot of garbage out there."

“Culture has the most influence on the music that most people experience. I wish that quality would be the major influence.”

Your least favorite memory of a live performance?

"Most of my drum solos."

"When I played an outdoor gig and a bird shit on my head."

"The first performance following the loss of a loved one."

"Any time some idiot yells out Freebird!!!"

“Any performance where the musicians don’t treat the music with love and respect.”

What do you know now that you wish you had known as a younger jazzer?

"That one needs to literally study face to face with artists they admire. Get to know personally the masters on your instrument. Sometimes you learn more just listening to them talk to you, than physically working something out on (in my case) the drums. I have had the great fortune of getting to know one master whose name is Ed Thigpen."

"Stop! (just kidding...)"

"Listen... listen... listen."

"To take it easy, take my time, it is a life long road - one you never master but what a journey!"

“I feel that I probably learned everything in the right order; when you make your own mistakes, the lessons take deeper root. I hold experience in high regard.”