Recommended Reading: Steve Wilson on AAJ

“The best part about being there at that time was that it was a really vital time in the city of Richmond. The city was going through a renaissance period, especially with the arts. So there was a lot of work as a musician there and it was a great atmosphere. And we had many great artists-in-residence coming in, people who came in and spent several days or a week. People like Jackie Byard, the Heath Brothers, Elvin Jones, Sonny Rollins, Frank Foster. It was a great time to be there. That's where I made a lot of my first New York contacts, actually."

Among the gigs he got to play in college was one with pianist John Hicks, who would travel to Virginia occasionally and play with a local group. Ellis Marsalis was also teaching at Virginia Commonwealth for a time and their paths crossed.