“The first time I was with him, I felt, ‘You must be on the right track to have people like this endorse you,’” Bobby Broom said of his mentor, the late Sonny Rollins.

“I really wanted to make a record that’s something you can, like, put in your car and drive and have a story,” says Dida Pelled.

Everything about pianist Ben Markley’s new large ensemble project feels classic.

“I’ll always keep the jazz harmonic side in my music because I could never go all the way and be a straight smooth-jazz guy,” says Warren Wolf of his groove-oriented music.

Michel Petrucciani breathes fire on 1987’s Kuumbwa.

“I feel a little lost in our pop music world today where the art of melody has been lost,” says Steve Wilson. “Hopefully we can get that back.”

“I want to leave something for people to hear what the music is about and you can vibe with it in the car or wherever you’re at, which is awesome,” says Noah Jackson.

“There was something about her tone and sound and phrasing — an intimacy, a vulnerability, an honesty,” says Joshua Redman, who produced Cavassa’s record after she toured with his band.

“I will always believe that all humans have the capacity to love unconditionally,” says bassist and activist David Ambrosio. “It’s our divine nature. We’ve just lost our way.”

A changing of the guard, from left: Ellen Price, Darrian Douglas, Clara Winder and Mark Morganelli transition to keep Jazz Forum Arts on track.