What recording or recordings initially sparked your interest in jazz, and inspired your desire to perform and or compose?
Jaco Pastorius’ self-titled solo debut had the biggest impact on me. It has such an incredibly healthy mix and fusion of Jazz, Latin, and R&B styles with the electric bass driving everything that it’s still one of my favorite albums. Another, more traditional, jazz album is Oscar Peterson’s “The Paris Concert – Live at La Salle” with Niels-Henning Ørstedt Petersen on acoustic bass. I’ve always been drawn to bass players of any genre who push the instrument beyond traditional (and self-imposed) limits. As far as composition is concerned, Paul McCartney takes the cake. Even though his music is not jazz, it’s still a beautiful collage with the bass as the glue that holds it all together.

Talk about the relevance of developing a healthy curiosity about ideas and people, in and out of music, to bolster your artistry.
A healthy curiosity in music and in life is incredibly important for my personal growth. I’m curious about people’s philosophies about life, about how they seek to contribute to other people’s happiness. I’m interested when I see how some people live their passion, how they enroll others into their purpose and let them be part of it. My students are probably some of my best teachers in respect to music, because they often come to their lesson looking at a song or a style of playing from a completely fresh angle, something I may not have considered, and this may open up a whole set of possibilities for new musical paths to explore – new ways of combining styles, or of playing a certain musical passage. It helps the instrument grow and push its player beyond his or her comfort zone.

Could you discuss the relevance for you as an artist, to approach this music as a road to be traveled, with the opportunity for a lifetime of growth and learning, as opposed to a destination to be reached.
I embrace the fact that I’m on a never-ending journey in my life. I don’t want to be in a comfort zone, having arrived. All of my growth happens when I’m out of my comfort zone, and to me all of life is about growth and learning. I imagine myself to be wandering from point A to point B, but not in a straight line. I may take a side path, or linger in one place or another, take in new sights, new sounds, no schedule hurrying me along. And once I get to point B I see the “C” and the journey just continues. I collect experiences on my journey, and I’m richer because of it.

What are some of the challenges you face and expect to face as an artist, as an independent artist, and how do you envision making them work for you?
The main challenge of being an independent artist is reaching larger audiences. I simply go about it by doing what I’ve always been very good at – tenacity…persistent determination. I simply refuse to go away. Eventually enough people hear about me and bring my music to other people’s attention. It’s a slow growth, but steady and honest, because it’s not based on some clever marketing ploy, but on pure music.

How have you strived to develop your own voice - in the face of the immense influence of certain overwhelmingly influential artists?
I am definitely influenced by some wonderful artists, and I am very grateful for their contribution to my music. I make sure I stay open-minded to a broad spectrum of players who strike a chord (pun intended) with me. In my playing you’ll hear Jaco, James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, Gary Willis, Pino Palladino, Richard Bona, Marcus Miller, the list goes on and on. However, not one single player is absolutely dominant and it’s still my style I’m playing, because I’m the one who’s combining all these forces in my music and then sprinkle it with a deft selection of “Pfeiffer-isms.”

How if at all do the pressures of talent buyers, peers and the marketplace affect your music or creativity?
They don’t – at least I try not to let these pressures affect my music. I strive to stay authentic to what I hear and feel, and that’s what I share with the world. I would hope whoever is meant to hear my music will listen. I believe the authenticity comes through in my playing. Anytime anyone listens to me, they’ll get me, warts, scars and all.

Could you talk about some experience that you have had that has helped you become more sensitive to others and has correspondingly contributed to your artistic growth?
As I get older and somewhat more mature, I listen more to other musicians I’m playing with and try to create a space for them to express themselves. I used to butt heads with several producers in recording sessions, because they had a part in mind for me to play. I had a different part in mind and wouldn’t budge. Needless to say, this did nothing to further the session, nor the music. Nowadays I listen to what they have in mind, find a way to combine it with what I have in mind, and usually the combination of the two parts is where the magic happens.

If you could magically get your wish in the next three years, what goal—action or event—would you hope to accomplish, and what is the emotional core of that goal (i.e. the driving force: A desire for fame? Wealth? Helping people? Creating? etc.)
What a great question, I’ve been spending some time with this kind of vision lately to get it more into focus. I would love to see myself playing three or four high-level jazz festivals per year, about two well-produced performances in New York City, my chosen hometown, recording a new CD every two years, and the rest of the time leading seminars and intensives for bass players so they can take their playing to extraordinary new levels. I would love to have contributed to the growth of bass and bassists by the time I leave this place. If I can live my life being a great inspiration to others, showing them the synchronicity of love and music, I can’t imagine anything more fulfilling.

What is it that you have you observed that inspires audiences about your performances and music?
My music has a very “earthy” R&B quality that connects easily to audiences. The rhythms and grooves are infectious. At the same token, the music is very challenging for us musicians to play, forcing us to be on top of our game, which is a satisfying and joyful experience for us, and that joy translates and is passed on to the audience. When you walk into one of my PHX (my band) concerts, you’ll notice two things: everyone is bobbing their heads, and everyone is smiling. The other thing is, my songs are intensely personal, and I let people in on it. A couple of beautiful ballads are dedicated to my wife Lisa, a quirky tune is dedicated to our late cat, and other tunes are written to show the personalities of people in my life whom I love. I share myself with my audience, and they in turn are open as well.

We all love to get compliments for what we do well. How do you take responsibility for what doesn’t work, and how do you make changes or turn things around. Could you cite an example?
I’ve had to change the bass part on “Once You’ve Been A Raisin You Can Never Be A Grape,” the only song with vocals on my CD “Phoenix-Fruits & Nuts.” I loved the bass part, it was rich and complex, but it obscured the lyrics. The tune had a message, and I felt the message was more important than my personal attachment to the bass part. With the help of my wonderful band members we came up with a part that worked beautifully, and still had the original part where the vocals where not present. We worked it until everyone loved all the parts. On the other hand, I don’t try to play something a certain way because I think somebody would want to hear it that way. That has always backfired for me. I tell my students ‘lose a gig because you were being yourself, not because you tried to be someone you’re not’ and I tend to walk my talk. It’s best, of course, not to lose the gig at all…

What are the benefits and drawbacks of being an independent artist?
The benefits of being an independent artist are that I can work at my own pace, and I can stay true to my vision of my music without worrying about fitting into a specific category, or to cater to someone else’s vision. The drawback is, of course, not having the financial and network support of a major label with the business know-how to catapult an artist to success.

Tell us about your activities outside of music and how they have helped you stay balanced, and contribute to your personal and artistic growth?
Being with Lisa, my wife. When I met her, I was in a compositional drought for a decade. Then I fell in love with her and the floodgates of music just crashed open. Now my favorite activities are the ones with Lisa, whatever they may be. It’s the perfect balance for my life and instrumental for me to recharge so I can keep creating music. Love really puts things into perspective.