Robert Kaufman

"The most significant piece of information I can pass on to a student is the importance of a well-developed and effective method of practicing. If you think of practicing as food, you will realize the importance of feeding yourself a complete and nourishing diet. Your body and mind will assimilate this information, and you will be living with it in the years to come."

"Practicing is a disciplined study of ideas and information. Hopefully, this new information will reach deep parts of your mind and body and will eventually become a part of you. If you try to remember what it was like when you learned to walk and speak, you will acquire a more accepting and patient outlook toward yourself as you approach learning new material."

"The most important advice I can offer for learning new information is to cultivate the ability to focus and direct your attention. The first step is to develop and refine the skill of self-observation. I have found through my own experience as a student, and many years of experience as a teacher, that the most productive students all have cultivated the skill of acute self-observation. The rewards you get from practicing are directly related to the quality of attention you give to yourself and to the material being studied."

"I have over 50 years of playing experience with some of the best musicians on the planet. I have personally known some of the greatest musicians of our time, like Elvin Jones, Charlie Smith, and Joe Henderson. My goal as a teacher is to pass on all my years of experience playing and studying to help speed up the learning process of the student."