Back when I played a bit, my main instrument was alto saxophone. It really shaped how I think, hear, and write. ° Five voices is just enough: it allows for either full, big-band style harmony; or for richly independent melodic voices. ° A small group of saxophones is the jazz composer’s equivalent to a string quartet: the traditions and expectations of jazz are embedded in the sax in the same way that chamber music norms are embedded in strings. And it has the same flexibility: it can be simple and spare, or it can suggest an orchestra. ° One of my favorite parts of composing is creating spaces for improvisation. For my performer and improviser, I was lucky enough to find Manuel, who lives and works in Italy, and who quickly grasped what I was going for with these pieces. ° I receive a daily “photo of the day” email from Paul. When I saw his image of the last few leaves hanging onto autumn branches, I thought, “separate lines, with bursts of color”.