I’ve been reading Alex Stewart’s Making the Scene: Contemporary New York City Big Band Jazz. This has coincided with my recent VJO listening binge. I don’t know exactly when or if I’ll be living in New York, but part of me wants to try it.

I’m a good player and a good writer, but that only goes as far as my time here at UNT. I’ve managed to make it to the middle-top of the food chain, here, which is nice. Once I graduate, though, it’s on to a whole new set of challenges that will probably kick my ass so much harder than UNT has these past five years.

I’m excited about the prospect of entering into a new musical community, be it in Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, or some other place that I haven’t even considered yet. Succeeding in any of these places will take a lot of perserverence and patience. It takes time to build relationships and reputation. At the same time, first impressions are crazy important. I’m going to practice being as professional as possible during my last few months at UNT.