I have been the guitarist with the Grammy-nominated jazz group Spyro Gyra for three decades, recording more than 20 albums and touring all over the world, playing for audiences of thousands. So what has drawn me to the Voices of Valor project, where I get to work in an intimate setting with small groups of veterans, writing songs?

I first heard about Voices of Valor through my friend, Jennifer Lampert, who is now my partner as musician/facilitator with the groups. They were recording at a local studio in my hometown of Hoboken, and she asked me to stop by because she was working with a group of veterans. One of the vets was a big fan of Spyro, and she thought it would be nice for me to say “Hi.” Not knowing what to expect, I agreed to stop by.