How 'Pulp Fiction' Reinvented The Film Soundtrack | GRAMMY.com (2025)

"I love you, Pumpkin."

"I love you, Honey Bunny."

If these lines immediately beam Dick Dale’s version of "Misirlou" into your head, gliding down the double harmonic scale, surf beat kicking, then chances are you have seen Pulp Fiction. The cult classic and its soundtrack turn 30 this fall.

Debuting in September 1994 ahead of the film’s October release in the United States, Pulp Fiction's soundtrack became its own pop culture zeitgeist, eventually peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and meandering through the chart for over 70 weeks. Urge Overkill’s cover of Neil Diamond’s "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon" — soundtracking a pivotal scene between Uma Thurman and John Travolta's characters — surged in popularity.

Pulp Fiction and its soundtrack defined director Quentin Tarantino’s knack for music in film, to the point where the combined efforts of him and his music supervisors are synonymous with his auteurship.

"Having ‘Misirlou’ as your opening credits is just so intense it just says, ‘you are watching an epic, you are watching this big old movie just sit back’," Tarantino noted in the book accompanying The Tarantino Connection, a collection of his soundtrack works.

GRAMMY-nominated music supervisor Mary Ramos, who has worked with Tarantino for almost 30 years, starting out in the music department for Pulp Fiction, has noted Tarantino's passion for music and story. "His imagination is crazy. And I’ve made it my mission to make sure he can tell the stories he wants to tell."

Mission accomplished. While it is well documented that Tarantino often writes scenes around a song in his mind, or builds personalities with music, Ramos makes sure those scenes come to life and the personalities get to sing, sometimes literally. After all, as Jules tells Vincent in the film – one of the many snippets of dialogue included in the soundtrack, and the name of one of the tracks, "personality goes a long way."

"Misirlou" was not the sole pop song used in Tarantino's Oscar-nominated indie. Rather than leverage a traditional film score, Tarantino filled the film with surf tracks and memorable hits. Tracks by the Tornadoes and the Lively Ones set the raucous tone for some of Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield’s scenes; those high-energy cuts are a sharp contrast to Dusty Springfield’s "Son of a Preacher Man," and the aforementioned "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon," both of which highlight Mia Wallace’s dreamy, mischievous, and alluring nature. Elsewhere, Chuck Berry’s "You Never Can Tell" provides the playful track to one of the most iconic scenes: the Jack Rabbit Slims Twist Contest.

"Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon" and "Misirlou" were not just catchy tracks within the film’s timeline. Instead, these songs built leitmotifs and character traits, blending decades and using past pop culture references to propel Pulp Fiction's sprawling and intersecting narrative.

"What makes Quentin standout is his bold use of music. Oftentimes it is a main character in his movies. The reason is the referential element to his storytelling. We respond to Quentin because music is so much in the forefront and it’s such a bold use, like using David Bowie in a World War II movie. That’s bold, and incredible, and remarkable," Ramos told Variety in 2016.

Further, Tarantino's characters often interact with the score in what's referred to as diegetic sound — songs in a character’s life, often chosen by the character in scene. The audience vibes with Mia as she presses play on Urge Overkill to start the night, and also listens in as Butch as he merrily sings along to the Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall." The song breaks the audience into Butch's mindset that he’s going to be able to flee from Marsellus Wallace’s watchful eye; then, just as the lyrics bounce to "it's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright," we see Marsellus stop in front of the car and turn to spot Butch. Chaos ensues.

"That’s one of the things about using music in movies that’s so cool, is the fact that if you do it right, if you use the right song, in the right scene; really when you take songs and put them in a sequence in a movie right, it’s about as cinematic a thing as you can do," Tarantino explained when detailing his process of melding music with film.

And while Tarantino is largely credited as the genius behind this use of music and character development, Ramos plays an enormous role. "She is hands down one of the most unsung heroes," Tarantino said of Ramos.

"I'll take some weird soundtrack from some weird Japanese movie, then it's Mary's job to track it down and clear it for me," Tarantino said of Ramos, praising her ability to hunt down permissions for a song to match his vision. "I didn't even realize how tough that is in some cases."

Tarantino continued to describe a sample Ramos cleared for a later film, 2015's Hateful Eight. In order to use a track from the Ennio Morricone score to The Exorcist 2, Ramos had to track down and secure permission from the three girls who sang "la la la" on the song.

"Even though she's going through all this trouble and trials and tribulations, and has to be a detective, she doesn't want me to know," Tarantino continued. "Her whole mantra is she doesn't want to disappoint me."

To that point, the iconic "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon" almost didn’t happen.

"With "Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon," Neil Diamond’s publisher turned us down. And I wrote a letter to Neil [describing] how the scene doesn’t glorify drugs at all…" Ramos told Variety in 2019. "It turned a no into a yes, which was really kind of a win and a great feeling. It’s a great feeling to be able to not have to tell Quentin he can’t have something because of a technicality or red tape."

Pulp Fiction charted a new course for soundtracks. Of course, Martin Scorcese’s soundtracks are celebrated, and many popular soundtracks have mingled on the charts, including Flashdance, Reality Bites and its launch of Lisa Loeb’s "Stay", and Good Morning, Vietnam, which won a GRAMMY Award for best Comedy Album due to its inclusion of comedic monologues from Robin Williams. The soundtrack to Singles also helped garner popularity for grunge music and became hugely popular before the film was released. Never before had music served as more than a retrospective or a vehicle to market a new song; in Pulp Fiction, music made for significant character development, soundtracking their inner monologue and preferences.

Tarantino has continued to use diegetic sound. Decades after Mia Wallace’s dance moves first hit the big screen, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood allowed audiences to be in on Sharon Tate and Cliff Booth's musical choices. Because the characters choose the music, layered with Ramos and Tarantino’s ability to build such a personable sonic landscape, the viewer explores some lesser-known tracks and is brought into their timeline.

"You’re not going to get the Billboard top-charting songs from 1969 on this soundtrack, but what’s more important is the time machine aspect of it," Ramos said about the film’s soundtrack. "Quentin wanted to stay rooted in the period and utilize his memory of KHJ Boss Radio in Los Angeles. The radio stations and the DJs are stars in the movie as well and every character is listening to them."

The diverse music sources and character perspective holds true for Tarantino’s work, and persists into his future films. To say that Hotei’s "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" is forever burned into collective pop culture memory with Kill Bill would be an understatement. "There is a Tarantino bump that’s given to music he’s used in his films," Ramos has said, and cited the example of "Woo Hoo" by The 5.6.7.8s, boosted by Kill Bill: Vol. 1.

Read more: How 1995 Became A Blockbuster Year For Movie Soundtracks

In 2011, Tarantino was recognized at the 16th Critics' Choice Awards with the inaugural Music+Film Award, largely credited to his use of sourced music and impact of his film’s soundtracks. Almost 15 years later, the impact is still strong. This year, May December leveraged pre-existing score from the Go-Between to a highly dissonant impact. Directors like Edgar Wright have mentioned inspiration from Tarantino, and it’s not hard to see this played out in the music-driven scenes of Baby Driver or even Shaun of the Dead. And, as some other critics see it, not everyone is as successful as Tarantino and Ramos when it comes to a great music edit.

Would Pulp Fiction have been such a chart topping success without this, or as iconic without scenes like the Jack Rabbit Slims dance contest?

"I have Quentin's original handwritten notes for Pulp Fiction and he wrote down five or six potential songs for each music cue," Ramos said in a previous interview. "That [Chuck Berry] was his No. 1 for that particular scene."

Well, then. I said, goddamn!

Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music who are still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Swamp Dogg, the eccentric soul and R&B titan still actively writing, recording and performing more than half a century after his debut album.

Swamp Dogg is about to play a major concert in New York City, and he has a few commitments to keep.

There will be no medleys. He won't talk down to the audience. When he hits a bad note — which he calls a "guaranteed" prospect — he'll pause, reassess and fix it.

"When they leave, they're not thinking much about the bad note, because we all talked about it in this conversation," the artist born Jerry Williams, Jr. tells GRAMMY.com. "I do have a conversation with my audience, and it's good."

That gig, at Knockdown Center in Queens on July 28, should serve as a reminder that Swamp Dogg has been in a strange, wonderful dialogue with the planet from the jump. This dates back to when he made his first recording, "HTD Blues (Hardsick Troublesome Downout Blues)," in 1954 — an awfully pessimistic dispatch from a 12-year-old.

His 1970 debut under the moniker, Total Destruction To Your Mind, is a fantastic slice of left-field psychedelic soul — filled with fried, occasionally conspiratorial, frequently profound insights that framed him as something of a modern prophet. ("Why wasn't I born with orange skin/ And green hair/ Like the rest of the people in the world?" remains an excellent question.)

In the ensuing decades, Swamp Dogg (he spelled with a double g before Snoop Dogg was born) has released numerous albums; naturally, his career has ebbed and flowed.

But at 81, he's found indie stars like Justin Vernon and Jenny Lewis in his corner, and released inspired late-period albums like 2020's Sorry You Couldn't Make It and 2022's I Need a Job… So I Can Buy More Auto-Tune.

Ahead of the Knockdown Center show, read on for an interview with Swamp Dogg about his live philosophy, upcoming music, profound relationship with John Prine, and decidedly so-so relationship with… the state of Rhode Island.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

What can people expect from your upcoming Knockdown Center gig?

To be honest with you, I don't know, other than I always try to give the last drop of whatever I'm doing. I don't do medleys and that bulls—. They can expect to get it all, and I usually try to get in as many songs as I can without trying to get the audience out of the way.

You feed off the energy of the crowd like a consummate performer should. You're not rushing through it or phoning it in.

Right. Plus, usually, I talk to my audience. Not just to hear myself talk. I get the audience involved. Not a lot of mundane s—. I talk to them like we live together. If you had somebody else in your house, the way you would talk.

When you launched your career all those decades ago, which performers galvanized you to give your all?

It's funny: one of the artists that inspired me the most — and kind of encouraged me, without knowing me, to give everything — was Chuck Berry. Chuck didn't have to do anything but be Chuck, and, damn: that's all you wanted.

Chuck did his singular thing as long as he could possibly do it. Every performance was pure, uncut Chuck. I see that quality in you as well.

Right. If I'm doing a song and we hit a bad note — sometimes a note that's haunting, it's so f—ing bad — I'll stop my band, and talk to my band. I'll take three or four minutes and give the audience what I want.

What can you tell me about the musicians who will accompany you at Knockdown Center?

I've got some great musicians right now, for the gigs I'm doing over the next six weeks. They've been with me for a while.

My keyboard man plays loop stuff. He plays just about every instrument there is. He'll cover for me, because I will hit a bad note. I guarantee I'll hit a bad note. But I'll make up for it. And it's not going to be bad notes all night long. [Laughs]

Human error is how I look at it. But I work real hard to make sure that my audience is happy. I'll stay out on stage as long as the house itself is fine with what I'm doing.

And you have some shows after Knockdown Center on the books, too.

I know we're playing in Rhode Island and some other things coming up. I don't know anybody who ever played in Rhode Island. Nobody ever says, "Hey, let's go to Rhode Island!" It's like, f— Rhode Island.

Don't get me wrong; that doesn't mean Rhode Island is a bad place. It's just musically, you never hear of anybody going there.

I'm looking forward to it, because how many chances do you get to go to Rhode Island? But there are more memorable states for sure. You don't hear it on quiz shows. I guess if you did, it would be [the result of] the most complicated f—ing question you ever heard.

*Swamp Dogg. Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images*

What are you working on lately? Can we expect new music coming up?

I've got an album that's finished. It's a country album, and it's great. It's just that I've got to get the liner notes together, because it's got a lot of s— in it as far as information.

I'm not using a drummer at all, but you're not going to miss it. Because if you listen back to the old, old stuff, they didn't have a set of drums. So, I left the drums; I'm trying to go back to the beginning.

On a different note, it was bittersweet to hear John Prine on Sorry You Couldn't Make It. That had to be one of his final recordings. What was it like working with him?

He was a very real person. He and I had planned to go to Ireland together, because he had a house in Ireland. We were going [to go] there for about a week and just write our asses off.

I miss him. I'd known him since sometime in the '60s. We had a lot of stuff we wanted to track lyric-wise, but I guess music-wise also. Good guy, filled with talent.

Which Prine song means the most to you?

I do it every show. There's a different ending every time I do it, because it's one of those songs that gives me a chance to talk to my audience about how things are, what's going on, what I feel we could do for the country, and to make people more comfortable.

Like giving away clothes. Some people forget that if you put a bunch of clothes away a few years, and moths haven't eaten the s— [out of them], you could give it to these people. And don't be ashamed of the money you can't give — just be happy about what you can give.

I see all the problems that we have, that are unnecessary. That's what makes me really get into "Sam Stone." Usually, 90 percent of the time, I am with Sam Stone.

It's like a preacher on Sunday morning. He preaches and it is basically the same s—, but delivered in a different way. So, that's what I'm doing.

What did you think when Johnny Cash covered "Sam Stone" and controversially changed the lyric "Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose" to "Daddy must have hurt a lot back then, I suppose"? Some say that carved out the meaning of the song.

I've never heard it. I like Johnny Cash. But there are about 10 country artists that I like better.

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Even if you've never heard Labrinth’s scoring work outside of “Euphoria” or seen Disney's Encanto, chances are you know two things: How Labrinth’s vocals can pierce through a track to freeze an audience and not to talk about Bruno. That's the power of a great soundtrack — it has the potential to transcend the artist and its host format while simultaneously propping up both.

Not all soundtracks have scores written by GRAMMY-nominated artists or go on to spend eight weeks atop Billboard's 200 chart (as the Encanto soundtrack has), but the great ones do follow a similar path of storytelling, collaboration and transcendent impact.

A Great Soundtrack Tells A Story

Many people consider the music in Encanto, with its irresistible catchiness and universal charm, to be the epitome of a great soundtrack. But there's also a large subset of people who would prefer a more eccentric set of songs, like those in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Yet a great soundtrack isn't determined by its replay value or its musical distinction — it's determined by the joint effort of the music and the visual media’s story.

"Music can just take a scene to a specific place," Karsten Runquist, a writer/director and reviewer of over 1,500 films on Letterboxd, said. "'Euphoria' is a really good example right now. It's just littered with music, and it really drives the mood of the show. Different characters have different songs. Each character in the show kind of has their own playlist — it's another way of adding depth."

In season 2, episode 3 of "Euphoria," INXS's 1987 song "Never Tear Us Apart" is played while Cal Jacobs — an abusive, adulterous main character in the show — dances with his high school lover in a flashback scene. The song's romantic but foreboding lyrics of "they could never tear us apart" add dramatic irony, and helps viewers form a complex understanding of what might otherwise seem to be a strictly deplorable character.

According to "Euphoria's" Music Supervisor Jen Malone, the new wave track was so integral to Jacobs' backstory that the show's creator wrote it into the script himself. "We have no parameters about the genres or the time period … We wanted to stay in our world and use the music as an interesting storytelling device [and a] very prominent character in the show," Malone told the Ringer.

In many cases, the role of music can even surpass that of a central character. Films like Pulp Fiction, SuperFly, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, Shaft and countless others use music to weave together plots and define characters. Sometimes, the music in these films becomes just as memorable, if not more so, than the action or dialogue. For example, Miles Morales losing track of time while humming along to “Sunflower” in Into the SpiderVerse emphasizes how young the character is just as well as any visual could.

A Great Soundtrack Is Collaborative

Crafting a soundtrack generally comes down to three major elements: the storytelling foundation of the medium, the music taste of those involved, and the relationship between director, music supervisor and artist.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (GTA V) features Frank Ocean as the host of an always-on, in-game radio station and includes Dr. Dre as a key character in the game's downloadable content, "The Contract." Such superstar additions would likely be impossible if Rockstar games had not spent decades pushing for quality music in its “GTA” series.

"We've built one of the biggest platforms in the world for music," Ivan Pavlovich, Director of Music for Rockstar Games, told the Los Angeles Times in 2018. "We fight for this in every game, and artists can see that. We could have gone in any direction, but we're making choices based on the music we love."

The importance of/the tendency to create soundtrack choices based on personally beloved music is a sentiment Malone echoed.

“['Euphoria'] is almost like a mixtape that we give to our audience. Like in the same way that everybody shares music, you know a friend will be like, 'Oh my god, this song is so dope, you have to listen to it,' and then it enters your personal playlist, right? So in a way, it's like we're sharing Sam's mixtape to the audience," she explained to Buzzfeed.

Malone estimates that the average "Euphoria" episode may feature up to 37 tracks in an hour-long runtime, while "GTA V" has over 400 songs and 16 radio stations. For stories like those told on "Euphoria" and "GTA V," attempting to create a soundtrack that matches the graphic nature of their plots can lead to a series of dead-end phone calls, difficult conversations and denials, leaving more room for original scores to fill.

"[Creating an original score] is a blend of me and the director speaking… and just shooting the breeze about 'Oh, I love this music, or I love this soundtrack,'" explains Labrinth, who composed the score for Malcom & Marie and co-produced The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. "Quite a lot of the process for me is that I zone out, I'll watch some footage, or I'll hear what somebody says to me. And then I kind of throw all of that stuff away. And I go, 'What does my instinct say needs to go in this area or into this scene?'"

A Great Soundtrack Is Magical

A great soundtrack has the power to break new acts and breathe life into past hits. According to Spotify, streams of Colbie and G.L.A.M.'s "Uhuh Yeah" increased 2,700 percent and Sinéad O'Connor's 1987 track "Drink Before the War" increased by 26,900 percent after appearing in season 2 of "Euphoria."

As insane as some of these streaming boosts can be, soundtrack placements have even more power than just skyrocketing listener counts — they can go as far as freeing an artist from the creative expectations they place on their personal projects.

"​​When I was making music for myself, I would overthink it, or I would second guess stuff, and it was a bit more precious .... It felt more dangerous to me and [that there was] much more to lose," Labrinth details. There's less pressure when creating an original score, however, "because I'm trying...to elevate something they're creating, so it feels like it's a collaborative effort. And so it kind of takes the weight off of yourself needing to make something perfect."

Whether the soundtrack goes on to become a record-breaker like Encanto or serves as a timeless collection of music like Kendrick Lamar's Black Panther album, a great soundtrack maintains the impact of the visual media while transcending its original, supplementary role.

"When you match great songs with a great show, then when you listen to those songs, part of the show is still in your psyche. You remember the show and you can relate. It speaks to your life," says Uziel Colon, Sr. Project Manager of the Latin & Music For Visual Media category at the Recording Academy. "Once you marry great songs, great lyrics, great shows and scenes…That's magic."

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"And the winner isSaturday Night Fever!"Neil Diamondcrows at the top of this week's GRAMMY Rewind. The pronunciation extends far beyond that film soundtrack or its 1979 win for Album Of The Year.

Rather, the ripple effects can still be felt today. From 2017's "A GRAMMY Salute To The Music Of The Bee Gees" to a killer 2021 documentary, theBee Geesare having an absolute renaissance these days.

In the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, bear witness to the band at full tilt as they confidently stride to the stage, accepting the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year for the classic 1977 soundtrack to theJohn Travolta-starring disco flick.

Check out the throwback clip above and click here to enjoy more episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

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Unlike most condiments, salt figures heavily in the Bible. It symbolizes friendship. It means preservation. Lot's wife became a pillar of it. Jesus' salt illustration on the Mount is now an idiom. "Let your words be seasoned with salt," Paul said in Colossians, essentially meaning "Speak gracefully and perceptively." While only 17,Joey Alexanderis aware of salt's religious and historical connotations—and his expressions would make the Apostle proud.

"I want my music to reflect this sentiment and have a lasting impression," the thrice-GRAMMY-nominated pianist tells GRAMMY.com about his single "SALT," which dropped in mid-March. "The blues is that thing that preserves just like salt—that has inspired us in our ups and downs. The blues give us that reassurance that everything is going to be OK. Even though we are trampled under the ugliness of the world, we can still hold on to hope. That's what I believe."

And what of his latest tune, "Under The Sun"? Isn't that title from Ecclesiastes? "Yeah!" Alexander replies, flashing a grin. "Oh,man!You know your stuff!"

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"Under The Sun" marks the second single Alexander is releasing this spring via Verve Records and premieres above exclusively via GRAMMY.com. ("Summer Rising" will conclude the trilogy on May 28.) The tune, which Alexander wrote after themurder of George Floydignited protests in New York City, sounds appropriately golden-hued and ascendant. Therein, he wrote about the universal human family—one bound by forces racial disharmony can't destroy.

Alexander opened up to GRAMMY.com over Zoom about the significance of salt, the spiritual intent of his music and this radiant new tune with bassist Daniel Winshall and drummer Tyson D. Jackson.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

I dig your tune "SALT." You've mentioned the title is symbolic of the blues.

It can mean different things to different people. Even what we eat. The word "salad," during Roman times, was derived from the word "salt" for salted vegetables. I guess you might have heard that before.

No, never.

Oh, really! Yeah, man. It's kind of interesting to really look at what we eat. And it's in music as well. Blues is such an essential part of jazz and in other genres of music. You find it in so many genres of music. To me, most of them lead back to the blues. And of course, there are different interpretations of playing the blues. So, I have my interpretation in my composition "SALT."

Gilad Hekselman really added some fantastic color on the guitar to the track. To have a sense of completeness, I just had to have Gilad perform on the song. He's truly one of the best. His projection of the guitar is remarkable. Also, how he kind of resounds the rock element is very cool. I never had that element before, until this song came out.

Salt was also inspired by words from the Book of Matthew that we are the salt of the earth. It's a[invitation] to do good to others.I want my music to reflect this sentiment and have a lasting impression. The blues is that thing that preserves just like salt—that has inspired us in our ups and downs. The blues give us that reassurance that everything is going to be OK. Even though we are trampled under the ugliness of the world, we can still hold on to hope. That's what I believe.

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Right. I feel like songs based on blues forms are preserved. They tend to weather fads and trends.

But in this song, I wanted to create a sense of space in the way it is collective. I was trying to create room for other musicians to jump in and do their thing[chuckles], whatever that is.To share their talent and be themselves.

Also, I wanted to have really carefully written songs. "SALT" has that strong melody, which I was striving for. I was glad that Jaleel and Gilad played in unison and sounded so strong. When I heard it back, I was like "Wow." I never would have imagined that the song would sound that way;it was indescribable.

When you first listened to it, what came to your mind? I'm curious.

Something craggy and historical. Something that's been around for a long time. Like I'm looking at an old village church or a cave or something.

That's great, man. You use that as your tool—your imagination. I like that. I like to hear from other people who have their own perspectives. As much as I could share with you about what I felt writing the song, it's always great to hear other peoples' thoughts. It's really important to me.

As a composer, it's all about strengthening the melody and rhythm. When the band comes in, it's very ...not elusive, but it's very simple. The rhythm kind of sticks to you, right, when youhearit? I think Gilad also added some of the notes to the vamp, which was wonderful. He put that in place.Some songs I like to start with a vamp. Whenever I feel like it comes to my head, I play it. It happens in the moment sometimes.

Regarding the spiritual content of the song, it seems like you're pretty open about your beliefs.

Of course, I have things that I believe in. We all have things that we hold on to. Do you know what I'm saying? Whether it's music or faith. Of course, my music is all there in faith and holding on to the things that we believe.

I'm always about being thankful and always thanking God for all the things that happen in my life. That's the main point to me. To show love and empathy to people around me. My friends and I always pray before we start a performance, just to remember why we're there. To be a vessel to others.

Even though things aren't going the way you expect them to be, there are moments where you need to hold your head up, and along the way, you find hope. That's what the song is about: finding life and togetherness. I hope people feel that. This is my message about "SALT."

It's interesting the way you came up in your early teens. Usually, jazz musicians go through the whole curriculum and when success strikes, it's a lot later in life.

Yeah. It just so happened that I started earlier than some other musicians. You might have known some musicians who start early, in their teens, too. I'm not unique, I'm sure. Some musicians started just as early as me.

True, but you had a public profile, too.

I guess many musicians haven't experienced that at a young age. Well, I can say I'm thankful for all the things that have happened to me. Even when I got my first nomination, which was totally out of the blue, I wouldn't have thought that I would have my first album be in that category. I was nominated for Best Instrumental Album, and nonetheless, Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Do you remember who else was in the running when you were nominated?

I can remembertwo people who wereon the list. They were some of my favorite musicians.Christian McBrideandJohn Scofield.

Were you able to meet some of those older masters?

No, I only metHerbie Hancockat the GRAMMYs.

Nice. What was your impression of the man?

It was great meeting Herbie. He didn't say too much, I was eight at that time. He was like, "You really want to be here?" He said something like that and I said "I'm playing 'Watermelon Man.'" He thought I could play and he said, "Keep doing it" and "Don't stop."

Right on.

Yeah, it was pretty inspiring just to have those words comefrom someone who's been in the music world for a long time.

What can you share about "Under the Sun"?

It has ties to the times that we live in. The pandemic really hit us badly as musicians, and then I saw people marching on the streets where I live in Union Square in New York City. A lot of things have happened during the time I wrote this piece. But I think the positive side is that people of all colors stood up.

The title is from Ecclesiastes, yeah?

Yeah. Oh,man!You know your stuff. That is one of the inspirations. Actually, I wrote this during summer 2020 after witnessing the protests across the country. I also was inspired byBruce Lee's interviewwhen he was asked, "What do you think of yourself?" His only answer was, "I like to think of myself as a human being." Under the sky, we are all one family. It just happens that we are all different and we have to accept our differences. And this is how this song comes in.

What do you have up your sleeve for when things return to semi-normal?

As of now, I have one show coming up in Cape May, which is a festival called Exit Zero Jazz Festival and one in June at Saratoga Jazz Festival.I'm always praying and looking forward to being back traveling with my friends.

For now, I'm composing music, because it's what I love. I'm filling in the days with writing new works, trying to keep active. I'm thankful that I'm here with my family in New York City enjoying the weather. "Summer Rising" is my next single and that is about continuing to grow and awakening.