Though he talks about the difficulty of leading a musician's life, which his father knew well, his Cuban background allows him to reflect more profoundly. This is where his voice suddenly leaps out of the phone like a jack-in-the-box. "In Cuba," he says, "we have people who have no chance of making a lot of money. No chance of seeing their name in lights, and yet they love it. The reason that they're such great musicians is because their love is profound. They're not looking for the sacred contract or the big money-making gig. I personally know that music gives me joy in a profound way that nothing else can. On the other hand, I don't want to make it sound like being a musician is a death sentence for financial security, because it's not."
