Joe Lovano shares a powerful story about the night Joe Henderson heard him perform at Yoshi’s in Oakland. After the set, Henderson approached him and simply said, “That was brave.”

Lovano reflects on how meaningful that moment was, especially coming from someone he deeply admired. The comment wasn’t about technical skill or specific choices. It was about the courage to be expressive and original. Lovano emphasizes that finding your voice on an instrument means letting go of routine and expectations. It takes bravery to play in a way that’s deeply personal, not necessarily traditional, and to focus on making music, not just playing notes.