>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONS SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

♪♪ >>> TAKE A DEEP BREATH, NEW JERSEY, HOLD IT, AND EXHALE.

LEGAL CANNABIS SALES BEGAN THIS WEEK, AND OUR STATE MAY NEVER BE THE SAME.

HI, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

THERE YOU SEE GOVERNOR MURPHY, SENATE PRESIDENT SCUTARI AND OTHERS AT THE OPENING OF A DISPENSARY IN UNION COUNTY.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS NOW, AND AT TIMES, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

NO SUCH DOUBTS FROM JOE, CEO OF CURALEAF, ONE OF THE HANDFUL OF ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT CENTERS WHICH GOT THE GREEN LIGHT TO BEGIN ADULT USE SALES THIS WEEK.

JOE, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME ON WHAT MUST BE A VERY BUSY DAY.

>> MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

>> WHAT'S IT LOOK LIKE OUTSIDE?

HOW'S THE DAY GONE SO FAR?

>> WELL, IT'S A VERY EXCITING DAY.

IT'S GREAT TO BE PART OF THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.

I'M SURROUNDED BY A NUMBER OF HAPPY CONSUMERS WHO FINALLY HAVE A PATHWAY TO PURCHASING LEGAL CANNABIS IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

I THINK WE MUST HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE OUTSIDE, WAITING TO COME INTO THE DISPENSARY.

SO IT'S VERY EXCITING TO BE HERE.

IT'S EXCITING TO BE PART OF THE LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S EXCITING TO BE PART OF THE NEXT STEP OF BRINGING LEGAL CANNABIS TO THE UNITED STATES.

>> DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT YOU OPENED AT 8:00 A.M.

THIS MORNING?

>> WE DID.

WE OPENED UP AT 8:00 A.M., AND I THINK, WE HAVE TO VERIFY IT, BUT WE BELIEVE WE HAD THE FIRST LEGAL SALE OF CANNABIS IN THE STATE TODAY.

TO A VERY, VERY EXCITED CONSUMER WHO WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT HE FINALLY HAS A WAY TO BUY HIGH-QUALITY, TESTED, LEGAL CANNABIS IN NEW JERSEY.

>> YOU WERE ALREADY OPERATING AS AN ATC.

HOW MUCH DID YOU HAVE TO STAFF UP HERE, AND WHAT'S THE TRAINING LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO WORK THE COUNTER AT A CURALEAF OUTLET?

>> WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING HERE, ACTUALLY, IT'S QUITE PROFOUND THAT THIS WAS OUR FIRST LOCATION FOR CURALEAF.

THIS WAS OUR FIRST STORE.

WE'RE NOW IN 23 STATES BUT IT ALL STARTED IN THIS LOCATION, IN NEW JERSEY, SO IT COULDN'T BE MORE APPROPRIATE THAT WE'RE HERE FOR THE FIRST DAY OF ADULT USE INSIDE NEW JERSEY.

OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE HIRED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

WE'RE ALMOST 400 STRONG IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY NOW.

WE'VE TRIPLED OUR CAPACITY.

WE'VE ADDED TWO DISPENSARIES.

SO WE'RE REALLY READY TO HELP BRING ADULT USE FOR NEW JERSEY.

AS WE SAY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN 23 STATES, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, AND WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT EXPERIENCE BY LAUNCHING THE PROGRAM HERE TODAY.

>> WHAT IS THAT TRAINING LIKE?

WHAT DO YOUR ASSOCIATES NEED TO KNOW WHEN THEY WORK THE COUNTER?

>> WELL, WE GO THROUGH A WHOLE SERIES OF ON-BOARDING EVENTS.

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE STATE, SO WE HAVE TO GIVE WHAT THEY CALL BADGE.

THERE HAS TO BE A BACKGROUND CHECK THAT WE GO THROUGH.

THEN WE GO THROUGH OUR OWN ORIENTATION FOR TWO WEEKS, BRINGING PEOPLE IN AND HELPING THEM -- HELP EXPLAINING ALL THE REGULATIONS AROUND CANNABIS AND ALL THE NUANCES AROUND CANNABIS SO THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A TYPE OF ADVICE AND GUIDANCE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS EXPECT FROM US WHEN THEY COME INTO A CURALEAF STORE.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS, THE RIGHT FREQUENCY OF USAGE, FOR EACH OF OUR INDIVIDUAL PATIENT NEEDS.

>> SO, YOU'RE A MULTISTATE OPERATOR, AS YOU SAID, 23 STATES, 128 DISPENSARIES.

HOW DID THE PROCESS OF OPENING HERE COMPARE TO OPENING IN YOUR OTHER STATES?

>> I THINK IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN OTHER STATES WHEN THEY'VE MOVED FROM A MEDICAL PROGRAM TO AN ADULT USE PROGRAM.

I THINK, AS I SAID, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, SO WE KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT.

WE BROUGHT ON EXTRA STAFFING.

WE MADE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO DISRUPTION TO THE MEDICAL PATIENT COMMUNITY.

WE CREATED SEPARATE HOURS FOR OUR MEDICAL PATIENTS.

WE CREATED DIFFERENT LINES WITHIN THE DISPENSARY FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THE FLOOR MORE QUICKLY.

AND OF COURSE, WE MAKE IT SEAMLESS FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR CONSUMERS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE CANNABIS BY LEVERAGING EITHER ONLINE ORDERING, ORDERING THROUGH KIOSKS HERE IN THE STORE, OR ACTUALLY TALKING TO ONE OF OUR SALES ASSOCIATES.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE PROGRAM OPEN BUT WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE AND WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE ALL THAT EXPERIENCE TO HELP CREATE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE FOR THE CONSUMER.

>> DO YOU EXPECT, AT SOME POINT, THAT THE RECREATIONAL OR ADULT USE SIDE OF YOUR BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE LARGER THAN THE MEDICINAL PART?

>> I THINK THAT WE'VE SEEN IN MOST CASES, THE ADULT USE SIZE IS ANYWHERE FROM TWO OR THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO SIX OR SEVEN TIMES DEPENDING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OR THE MATURITY OF THE MEDICAL PROGRAM.

I THINK WE EXPECT NEW JERSEY TO BE, YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT MARKET.

WE THINK IT COULD BE UPWARDS OF A $2 BILLION CONSUMER MARKET OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, SO THAT WOULD BE ALMOST TEN TIMES WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND WE THINK IT'S A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR NEW JERSEY TO EMBARK ON THAT JOURNEY, NOT ONLY FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, BUT WE ALSO OBVIOUSLY, BEING THE FIRST STATE IN THE TRISTATE AREA TO CREATE THEIR ADULT USE PROGRAM IS GOING TO HELP, I THINK, BUILD AWARENESS AND HOPEFULLY SPUR OTHER STATES LIKE NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT, AND EVEN PENNSYLVANIA TO GET THEIR PROGRAMS OPEN MORE QUICKLY.

>> I'LL TELL YOU A FEW THINGS I'VE HEARD SO FAR ABOUT THE PRODUCT AT THE DISPENSARIES.

IT COSTS TOO MUCH.

THE QUALITY VARIES TOO WIDELY.

AND THE STRAINS ARE LIMITED.

ANY OF THAT HIT HOME?

>> WELL, WE WORK ON GETTING NEW PRODUCTS INTO THE MARKET ALL THE TIME.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO IN NEW JERSEY IS BEING ABLE TO EXPAND OUR PRODUCT RANGE.

UNDER THE MEDICAL PROGRAM, IT WASN'T PARTICULARLY EASY TO GET NEW PRODUCTS AUTHORIZED, SO I THINK AS WE LAUNCH NEW ADULT USE PRODUCTS AND BRING EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER STATES AND OTHER PRODUCTS FROM OTHER STATES INTO NEW JERSEY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTS FOR DIFFERENT CONSUMERS AND DIFFERENT USAGE OCCASIONS.

SO WE EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM THAT WE'VE STARTED HERE AND OVER TIME, YOU'LL SEE, I THINK, A FULL ASSORTMENT OF PRODUCTS IN NEW JERSEY.

>> DO YOU EXPECT THE PRICE TO COME DOWN?

>> I THINK IT WILL.

I THINK PRICING, LIKE EVERYTHING, IS A FUNCTION OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ASPECT OF OPERATING IN A REGULATED ENVIRONMENT, SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTROLS IN PLACE, TESTING IN PLACE THAT HELP INFLUENCE THE PRICE TO CONSUMERS, BUT AT CURALEAF, ONE OF OUR CORE BELIEFS IS WE WANT TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, LEGAL PRODUCT TO ALL CONSUMERS WHO DESERVE THAT, AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GET THE PRICE EQUATION CORRECT.

SO, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT HOW WE BRING PRODUCT TO MARKET AT MORE AFFORDABLE PRICE AND THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO MORE CONSUMERS IN THE MARKETPLACE.

>> WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF CONCERN THAT THE ILLEGAL, UNREGULATED MARKETPLACE FOR CANNABIS WILL NOT BE SHUT DOWN OR AT LEAST SLOWED?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN.

I THINK ESPECIALLY IN MARKETS WHERE ADULT USE BILLS HAVE BEEN PASSED, BUT THE PROGRAMS HAVEN'T STARTED YET.

SO, IF THEY DECRIMINALIZE WITHOUT ANY PATHWAY TO PURCHASING LEGAL CANNABIS, THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPLAINING TO NEW JERSEY ABOUT WHY WE WANTED TO ACCELERATE THE OPENING OF THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE ILLICIT MARKET THE ABILITY TO TAKE A FOOTHOLD IN THE INDUSTRY.

SO, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE SUPPORTIVE OF ENFORCEMENT.

WE WANT TO CREATE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MARKETPLACE, AND OBVIOUSLY, WE SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF CANNABIS THROUGH LEGAL PATHWAYS, WHICH LEADS TO INCREASED JOBS IN THE STATE, HIGHER TAX REVENUE COMING INTO THE STATE, ALL OF THE BENEFITS IN ADDITION TO OBVIOUSLY HIGH QUALITY, TESTED, LABELED PRODUCTS.

THAT'S SAFE FOR THE CONSUMER.

>> ASIDE FROM THE TAX REVENUE THAT THE STATE CAN EXPECT, AND YOU SAID YOU THINK THIS COULD BE A $2 BILLION INDUSTRY SOON, THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS LEGALIZATION MOVEMENT WAS THE SOCIAL EQUITY PIECE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY SEE YOU GUYS, 128 DISPENSARIES AND 23 STATES, ALMOST ALL WHITE AND/OR CORPORATE OPERATORS.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE?

>> WELL, I THINK I'M VERY PROUD THAT I THINK WE'RE DOING MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE INDUSTRY TO EMBRACE SOCIAL EQUITY AND WORKING WITH PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITIES MOST HARMED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS.

WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED ROOTED IN GOOD WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY.

WE HAVE THREE PRIMARY PROGRAMS THERE.

THE FIRST IS OUR MENTORING PROGRAM.

EACH OF OUR EXECUTIVES HAS A MENTEE, AN ENTREPRENEUR TRYING TO COME INTO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO HELP GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING INTO THIS HEAVILY REGULATED ENVIRONMENT.

OUR SECOND PROGRAM IS WHAT WE CALL 420 BY 25 WHERE WE HAVE A TARGET OF CREATING 420 INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH EITHER SOCIAL EQUITY OR MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES.

IN NEW JERSEY, IN FACT, WE ALREADY HAVE 12 AGREEMENTS WITH SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPLY THEM WITH PRODUCT AND HELP MENTOR THEM INTO THE MARKETPLACE.

AND THEN OUR THIRD PROGRAM IS WHAT WE CALL OUR SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE IRONY THAT THE PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS ARE PRECLUDED FROM OPERATING IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF MINOR MISDEMEANORS OR INFRACTIONS ON THEIR CRIMINAL RECORD, SO WE'RE WORKING TO HELP EXPUNGE THOSE RECORDS AND GIVE THOSE PEOPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITHIN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

JOE BAYERN IS CEO OF CURALEAF, OPERATING IN BELMORE AND EDGE WATER PARK, MARKING THE OPENING OF ADULT LEGAL USE MARIJUANA SALES THIS WEEK.

JOE, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MY PLEASURE.

>> APRIL IS JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH AND I COULD THINK OF NO BETTER PERSON TO HELP US CELEBRATE THAN THE GREAT PAQUITO WHO JOINS US NOW.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

>> DAVID, LONG TIME, NO SEE.

WE STILL LOVE YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU, YOU WERE HOME BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T GO ANYWHERE.

BUT NOW I SEE YOU, YOU'RE HOME JUST GETTING BACK OFF THE ROAD.

HOW DIFFERENT IS THE SITUATION NOW THAN WHEN WE LAST SPOKE?

>> YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE ENTIRE BUSINESS AROUND.

YOU'LL NEVER KNOW.

YOU CANNOT MAKE PLANS BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A GIG, THEN SORRY, IT GOT CANCELED OR MOVED THE DATE OR, FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO IN THIS JAZZ CRUISE, AND THEY HAVE CANCELED THE JAZZ CRUISE FOUR TIMES BECAUSE OF THE COVID AND ALL THAT.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO RECEIVE, LIKE, FOUR OR FIVE COMMISSIONS TO WRITE MUSIC FOR A GROUP, JAZZ ORCHESTRAS, SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRAS AND CHAMBER GROUPS AND JAZZ GROUPS.

SO, IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT I DON'T HAVE TO CUT MY VEINS.

>> ARE THERE NOT AS MANY GIGS AVAILABLE STILL?

>> YEAH.

THE NUMBER OF GIGS IN THIS PAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY GOING DOWN IN NUMBERS.

BUT FOR EXAMPLE, I DID THE FESTIVAL I DO EVERY YEAR IN URUGUAY AND THEN SUDDENLY, THE GUY CALLED ME AND SAID, LET'S DO THE FESTIVAL.

I SAID, ARE YOU SURE?

BECAUSE URUGUAY WAS ONE OF THE TIGHTEST COUNTRIES IN TERMS OF THE PANDEMIC AND ALL THAT.

BUT EVERYBODY GOT PERMISSION TO GO -- THE LICENSE TO GO THERE.

NOBODY GOT SICK, AND THEN EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT.

THE FESTIVAL.

WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN CANCELED.

BUT I SEE PEOPLE, THEY DON'T START WORKING AND FOR EXAMPLE, I SEE HER AGENDA, IT'S IMPRESSIVE, MAN.

SHE'S ALL OVER THE PLACE, YOU KNOW?

I SAY BEFORE, IT IS TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE, WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS DAY IN OUR PROFESSION.

>> YEAH.

YOU ARE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHO GETS TO GET THESE COMMISSIONS AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GENRES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING IN.

I MEAN, PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW YOU AND YOUR WORK KNOW THAT YOU LIVE IN A LOT OF MUSICAL WORLDS.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE, IF YOU COULD GO BACK, TO HOW IT IS THAT YOU ENDED UP IN ALL OF THESE MUSICAL WORLDS.

>> THE EXPLANATION IS SIMPLE.

MY FATHER WAS A CLASSICAL SAXOPHONE PLAYER.

HE NEVER HAD -- OR THAT'S WHAT HE THOUGHT.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT THEORY, BUT HE BELIEVED THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMPROVISE.

BUT HE LOVED THE BENNY GOODMAN ORCHESTRA, AND OF COURSE BENNY GOODMAN.

MY FIRST LP, JAZZ LP, THE FIRST CLARINET PLAYER LP THAT I HAVE WAS BENNY GOODMAN LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL RECORDED IN 1938.

FOR SOME REASON, DIDN'T COME OUT UNTIL 1956.

MY FATHER USED TO PLAY THAT AT HOME, BACK-TO-BACK TO GOODMAN'S RENDITION OF THE CONCERTO FOR CLARINET SO FOR ME, IT WAS CONFUSION BUT VERY HAPPY CONFUSION.

BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAY, THERE IS ONLY TWO KINDS OF MUSIC, GOOD AND THE OTHER STUFF.

SO I ENDED UP PRACTICING CLASSICAL MUSIC AND ALSO TRANSCRIBING THE SOLOS OF PEOPLE LIKE BENNY GOODMAN, MONDELO, LESTER YOUNG, AND LATER ON, CHARLIE PARKER, "TRAIN," YOU KNOW, TOGETHER WITH STRAVINSKY BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMPOSERS.

SO IT'S JUST FOR ME, IT WAS JUST MUSIC.

AND CUBAN MUSIC WAS IN THE AIR.

YOU KNOW?

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH, AND YOU CALL THAT TO BE ECLECTIC.

I LEARN THAT WORD WHEN SOMEBODY EXPLAINED ME WHAT I WAS DOING.

SO, YOU MEAN I AM ECLECTIC?

I HAVE -- THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE THROAT OR WITH THE LUNGS?

NO, NO, IT'S -- IT'S A WAY OF BEHAVIOR.

>> IT'S A GOOD CONDITION TO HAVE.

>> IT'S A GOOD CONDITION TO HAVE, YEAH.

>> SO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH CHUCHO VALDEZ, ONE OF THE GREAT JAZZ PIANISTS OF ALL TIME.

BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IRAQUERE, WHICH WAS THE GROUP WHERE YOU FIRST BEGAN TO WORK WITH HIM, YES?

>> NO.

EVEN BEFORE.

I TALK ABOUT -- THERE IS A CHAPTER IN MY BOOK, "MY SAX LIFE," I WROTE A BOOK AND THERE IS A CHAPTER CALLED "IRAQUERE" BUT IT DIDN'T START THERE.

I MET CHUCHO BEFORE HE MET ME.

SOMEBODY TOOK ME TO A JAM SESSION THAT CHUCHO WAS PLAYING THERE, AND HE IMPRESSED ME BECAUSE WE ARRIVED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON, AND I SAW THIS VERY SKINNY BLACK, TALL GUY PLAYING THE PIANO LIKE OSCAR PETERSON.

THAT WAS CHUCHO'S FIRST INFLUENCE WAS OSCAR PETERSON.

LATER ON, HE FOUND HIS OWN STYLE AND ALL THAT, HIS OWN VOICE.

BUT FOR ME, MORE LIKE KAFKA, YOU KNOW, HOW IMPOSSIBLE, A BLACK, TALL GUY, LIKE HE'S MAYBE 19, 20 YEARS OLD, EMULATING OSCAR PETERSON.

THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

THEN THE GUY WHO TOOK ME SAID, THIS IS VALDEZ.

>> ANOTHER GREAT.

>> HE WAS A FAN OF MY FATHER, SO I KNEW HIM BUT I DIDN'T KNOW CHUCHO.

ALSO IMPRESSED AND THEN LATER ON, I START WORKING IN THE TEATRO MUSICAL.

CHUCHO, I WAS 15 YEARS OLD.

CHUCHO HAD TO BE LIKE 21 OR SOMETHING.

AND WE STARTED WORKING IN THE ORCHESTRA.

THE GUITAR WAS THE SAME GUITAR WHO PLAYED WITH US IN IRAKERE LATER ON SO OUR STORY REALLY A YEAR BEFORE IRAKERE.

IRAKERE SOMETHING LIKE OLD BODY, NEW MODELS.

>> THAT GROUP HAD SO MANY MUSICAL INFLUENCES.

IT WAS A JAZZ GROUP, IT WAS A ROCK GROUP, IT WAS A SOUL GROUP.

IT WAS ELECTRIC.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST BEING IN THAT GROUP?

>> THE GROUP WAS VERY ECLECTIC, LET'S USE THE WORD AGAIN.

ECLECTIC.

BECAUSE IT WAS INTENDED TO BE A DANCE GROUP, BUT THERE WEREN'T MANY INTERESTS IN THE GROUP.

MANY TENDENCIES.

I LIKE -- SOME OF US LIKE JAZZ MUSIC, THE SINGER WHO WAS A PERCUSSIONIST, HE LOVED DANCE MUSIC.

HE WAS A PERCUSSIONIST FOR MORE.

CHUCHO AND I LIKE CLASSICAL ALSO, SO WE PUT ALL THAT INTO ONE GROUP, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THAT HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS WORKING ON A PIECE CALLED "ADAGIO," THE SECOND MOVEMENT OF THE MOZART CO FL CERTO FOR CLARINET SO I WENT TO A REHEARSAL OF IRAKERE, AND I SAID, CHUCHO, AFTER THE REHEARSAL, I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY THIS TUNE FOR YOU.

JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT.

I AM WORKING ON THIS FOR ANOTHER -- A DIFFERENT PROJECT.

SO THIS IS A PIECE BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART, SO WE PLAYED THE PIECE, AND CHUCHO SAID, LET'S PLAY IN THE DANCE PARTY TONIGHT.

I SAID, ARE YOU CRAZY?

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PLAY MOZART IN A PARTY.

NO, NO, NO CHUCHO SAID, I AM THE DIRECTOR HERE.

WE ARE PLAYING THAT TONIGHT IN THE PARTY.

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

I SAID, THIS GUY IS CRAZY.

CHUCHO, DON'T DO THAT.

NO, IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, PEOPLE WERE DANCING AND HAVING FUN AND YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY MOZART.

AN ADAGIO BY MOZART, NOT EVEN A FAST TEMPO, AN ADAGIO BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART, YOU'RE CRAZY.

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST SUCCESS OF IRAKERE WAS THE ADAGIO BY MOZART.

PEOPLE WERE SO ATTRACTED TO AMAZED TO HEAR THAT.

PROBABLY MORE SO THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO MOZART WAS.

SOME OF THEM THAT DANCED DID.

SO THAT WAS THE GRACE OF IRAKERE, TO BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

WE NEVER KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE SO INFLUENTIAL GROUP.

>> YES, STILL TODAY AN INFLUENCE FOR MUSICIANS WHO KNOW.

SO, I KNOW THAT YOU PLAY -- YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING SOME GIGS WITH CHUCHO AND I STILL WANT TO HAVE YOU MAYBE IMPROVISE SOMETHING REALLY QUICK FOR US FOR JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH, BUT HOW WAS IT PLAYING WITH CHUCHO NOW?

>> WE ARE GOING TO START OUR TOUR, WORLD TOUR, WITH CHUCHO, PAQUITO AND CHUCHO REUNION SEXTET.

AFTER 42 YEARS, WE DIDN'T PLAY TOGETHER.

SO THIS IS A WHOLE TOUR.

WE RECORD A GROUP -- WE RECORDED A NEW CD.

THE TITLE IS A PIECE THAT I WROTE THAT IS CALLED "I MISS YOU TOO."

>> OH, THAT SOUNDS AMAZING.

WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO JERSEY?

WHEN IS THAT COMING HERE?

>> WE ARE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING AT AJ PAC.

>> THAT'S THE VENUE.

>> THAT'S THE VENUE.

MANY PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR THAT REUNION FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.

>> I'M GOING TO CALL JOHN SCRIBER AT NJ PAC AND TELL HIM WE GOT TO WORK SOMETHING OUT HERE.

>> WE START TOURING IN JUNE.

SO, WE ARE OPEN FOR DATES.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATES IN THIS STATE.

WE ARE GOING TO EUROPE MOST OF THE TIME.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

EXCELLENT.

SO, PAQUITO, CAN YOU PLAY US SOMETHING REALLY QUICK TO TAKE US OUT FOR JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH?

>> OF COURSE, THIS IS MY DEDICATION TO OUR MENTOR, OUR DEAR FRIEND, ONE OF THE DEAREST MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, HE'S ALWAYS IN MY HEART, IN MY WORLD.

DIZZY GILLESPIE.

THAT IS A POSTER OF THE FIRST CONCERT WE PLAYED WITH HIM AND A BIG BAND THEY PUT TOGETHER.

HE CALLED IT A DREAM BAND.

THIS PROBABLY WASN'T THAT CONCERT IN LINCOLN CENTER.

>> IT'S POSSIBLE.

>> MANY YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WAS THERE.

>> WOW, WOW.

>> SO TO REMEMBER THAT TIME THERE WITH DIZZY, AND THIS IS MY TRIBUTE TO DIZZY GILLESPIE.

>> LET US SEE ALL OF YOU.

>> OKAY.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ SALT PEANUTS, SALT PEANUTS ♪ >> SALT PEANUTS INDEED.

PAQUITO, ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU, MAN.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU IN NEW JERSEY PERFORMING LIVE ESPECIALLY WITH CHUCHO.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE THING.

>> VERY GOOD.

LET'S HAVE SOME BLACK BEANS AND RICE TOGETHER NEXT TIME.

>> YES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> OKAY, VIEJO.

>> THAT IS "CHAT BOX" FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS ALSO TO JOE BAYERN.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, @DAVIDCRUZNJ, AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL WHERE YOU GET TO SEE "CHAT BOX" AND "REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE" FIRST, PLUS "BUSINESS BEAT," NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, AND OTHER LIVE STREAMS FROM AROUND THE STATE.

HEY, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FROM THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.