>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY -- FUEL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY AND SMART HEAT NJ.

THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROFESSIONAL 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.

♪ >>> HELLO.

WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

WE HAVE A FULL SLATE FOR YOU TODAY.

EVERY "CHAT BOX" IS A GOOD "CHAT BOX" WHEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT JAZZ.

CHRISTIAN McBRIDE IS GOING TO JOIN US LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

WE'LL ALSO TALK WITH ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CRAIG COUGHLIN ABOUT THE UPCOMING CHANGES IN THE LEGISLATURE AND MORE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH THE MAN AT THE CENTER OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLITICAL UPSETS IN STATE HISTORY.

HE'S THE GUY WHO TOOK DOWN THE POWERFUL SENATE PRESIDENT SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE.

SENATOR-ELECT EDWARD DURR.

SENATOR-ELECT, WELCOME.

CONGRATULATIONS.

MAYBE YOU CAN TELL US WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK.

>> WELL, AS I SAID MANY TIMES, IT WAS THE PERFECT STORM.

YOU HAD A GOVERNOR WHO LOCKED EVERYBODY DOWN, TOLD THEM THAT THEY COULD NOT GO TO CHURCH, THEY COULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL, THEY COULD NOT GO TO THE STORE.

THEY HAD TO CLOSE THEIR BUSINESSES.

YOU HAD PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS.

YOU HAD THE NURSING HOME DEATHS.

AND THEN YOU HAD THE SENATE PRESIDENT AND THE SPEAKER DO NOTHING.

SO THE PEOPLE WERE ANGRY AND GOT FED UP, AND THEY DECIDED TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HAVE YOU GOTTEN A CALL FROM STEVE SWEENEY?

>> YES, I RECEIVED A CALL YESTERDAY FROM STEVE SWEENEY.

>> HOW WAS THAT?

WHAT DID HE SAY?

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

>> HE WANTED TO CONGRATULATE ME.

I WON'T DIVULGE THE CONVERSATION EXCEPT FOR THE FACT HE DID CONGRATULATE ME, JUST WISHED ME THE BEST OF LUCK.

>> SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE PAST -- >> AND I THANKED HIM FOR THAT.

>> -- HAVE OFFENDED PEOPLE, MUSLIMS AND OTHERS.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WATCHING RIGHT NOW.

YOU WANT TO REINTRODUCE YOURSELF TO PEOPLE IN THE THIRD DISTRICT AND AROUND THE STATE?

>> WELL, AGAIN, AS I'VE BEEN SAYING BEFORE, I'M A FATHER OF THREE, A GRANDFATHER OF SIX.

FOR THE MOST PART, AS I SAID, I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR OFFENDING ANYBODY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE PERSON I AM.

BUT YOU KNOW HOW IT IS.

YOU GET BEHIND A KEYBOARD, AND YOU JUST TYPE THINGS SO YOU'RE A KEYBOARD WARRIOR.

THE DIFFERENCE IS NOW I'VE CHOSEN TO GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE KEYBOARD AND GET INTO THE TRENCHES AND BE A WARRIOR AND FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE AND FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS.

SO I AM GOING TO FIGHT FOR EVERY PERSON OF THIS STATE, NOT JUST LD 3, EVERY PERSON OF ALL WALKS AND CREEDS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE.

I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR YOU.

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, CALL ME UP.

>> SO YOU HAD A MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.

HOW HAS YOUR THINKING EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS SINCE THOSE POSTS WENT UP?

>> WELL, IT'S JUST LIKE I SAID.

IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THAT OR THIS.

AND, AGAIN, YOU GUYS KEEP TRYING TO GO BACK AND JUST BEAT THAT ALL THE WAY.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT IS MOVING FORWARD.

WE HAVE NEW JERSEY IN DIRE STRAITS.

WE HAVE THE HIGHEST TAXES.

WE HAVE THE WORST CORPORATE RATE, AND YOU HAVE A GOVERNOR WHO IGNORES -- WHO TOLD EVERYBODY THAT THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS ABOVE HIS PAY GRADE.

WELL, I'M SORRY, BUT THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS FOR EVERYBODY, AND IT'S NOT ABOVE YOUR PAY GRADE BECAUSE YOU SWEAR AN OATH TO IT.

SO YOU BETTER LEARN IT AND BETTER FOLLOW IT.

>> I GOT YOU, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO KEEP POUNDING ON THAT SAME ISSUE.

I'M TRYING TO GET YOU TO HELP YOU TO COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE HOW YOUR THINKING HAS EVOLVED SINCE THOSE POSTS.

>> WELL, AGAIN, AS I SAID, I'M DEEPLY SORRY FOR OFFENDING ANYONE, AND WE DO NOT HAVE TO AGREE ON EVERY MATTER JUST TO BE CIVIL AND WORK TOGETHER.

AND AS I SAID LAST NIGHT, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONG WITH THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY.

I AM REITERATING THAT I'M AGAINST ISLAMAPHOBIA AND AGAINST ANY FORM OF HATE.

AND I WILL WORK AS HARD AS I CAN TO MAKE THIS A BETTER STATE FOR EVERYBODY.

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT RELIGION YOU FOLLOW OR WHAT RACE YOU MIGHT BE.

IT IS FOR EVERYONE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU WERE THE BIG WIN FOR THE REPUBLICANS THIS YEAR, MAYBE FOR ALL TIME.

BUT WHICH PART OF THE PARTY ARE YOU?

ARE YOU A JON BRAMNICK REPUBLICAN OR A JIM TESTER REPUBLICAN?

>> YOU MEAN MICHAEL TESTER.

>> SORRY.

MICHAEL TESTER.

>> I'M EDWARD DURR.

THERE IS A LARGE TENT OF REPUBLICANS.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS, BUT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE SAME GOAL, TO MAKE NEW JERSEY A BETTER STATE.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE.

WE WANT TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER.

THAT'S THE REPUBLICAN TENT.

>> ARE YOU WHAT PEOPLE WOULD CALL A TRUMPER?

LIKE DO YOU BELIEVE JOE BIDEN IS THE LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?

>> JOE BIDEN WAS SWORN IN AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> BUT YOU ACCEPTED HIS -- >> JOE BIDEN WAS SWORN IN AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

GOVERNOR MURPHY -- >> I VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP.

>> GOVERNOR MURPHY CALLED YOU DANGEROUS.

ARE YOU?

>> WELL, I AM GOING TO BE DANGEROUS TO GOVERNOR MURPHY BECAUSE I WILL FIGHT HIS AGENDA.

AT EVERY TURN, I WILL FIGHT HIM BECAUSE HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY.

THAT IS CLEAR BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE WHO SENT SICK COVID PATIENTS BACK INTO NURSING HOMES, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF NEARLY 10 ELDERLY.

HE'S THE ONE WHO CLOSED BUSINESSES RESULTING IN THE SHUTDOWN OF NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

HE IS THE ONE PLACING MASKS ON CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS.

HE IS THE ONE WHO TELLS YOU YOU CANNOT GO TO CHURCH.

HE'S THE ONE WHO TELLS YOU YOU CAN'T HAVE THANKSGIVING WITH YOUR FAMILY.

HE'S THE ONE WHO IS TELLING YOU YOU MUST TAKE A JAB TO HAVE A JOB.

BUT I'M DANGEROUS BECAUSE I SAID WORDS, BUT HE ACTUALLY HURTS PEOPLE.

>> SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

YOU SAID YOU NEVER EXPECTED TO WIN.

DOES SOMEONE FROM THE STATE CALL YOU ABOUT ORIENTATION AND STUFF LIKE THAT?

>> I NEVER SAID I NEVER EXPECTED TO WIN.

I AM SHOCKED THE WAY IT TURNED OUT BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IF THE VOTERS CAME OUT, THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAD IT IN MY HEAD THAT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY.

I'M SHOCKED ABOUT THE FANFARE ABOUT THIS WIN.

I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THIS BIG OF A DEAL.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES?

YOU TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND A LACK OF GOVERNMENT INTRUSION.

WOULD THAT BE ACCURATE, AND WHAT ELSE ARE YOUR PRIORITIES?

>> WELL, ADD I'VE SAID BEFORE, ABSOLUTELY IT IS THE AFFORDABILITY AND THE TAXES.

BUT I CLEARLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BETTER TREATMENT OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE MANY, MANY CHILDREN WHO LOST SCHOOLING BECAUSE OF BEING AGED OUT, AND THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

THAT IS A DEFINITE THING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

THEN YOU HAD HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE A HOUSE THAT THEY USE AS A SECOND SOURCE OF INCOME BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND BARELY ABLE TO AFFORD LIVING IN NEW JERSEY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PROPERTY TAX, BUT YOU HAVE A GOVERNOR MURPHY DECIDE, NAH, YOU CAN'T COLLECT YOUR RENT.

YOU MUST JUST DEAL WITH IT AND LOSE YOUR HOME, LOSE YOUR SAVINGS.

SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGED, BUT I WILL FIGHT EVERYTHING THAT GOVERNOR MURPHY DOES TO HARM THE CITIZENS OF NEW JERSEY BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT -- HE HAS LARGER ASPECTS, AND I DON'T CARE.

I CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE.

HE CLEARLY DOESN'T.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I GOT A COUPLE OF KIND OF YES OR NO QUESTIONS AS WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.

WHERE WOULD YOUR VOTE BE ON -- YES OR NO -- REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM ACT?

>> WELL, SEE, I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER HYPOTHETICALS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN ASKED TO VOTE YET.

SO MY VOTE WILL BE WHEN I VOTE, AND THAT'S WHEN I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

>> WHAT'S YOUR FEELING ON CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARDS WITH SUBPOENA POWER?

>> I BELIEVE WE NEED TO -- NO.

I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO BACK THE BLUE.

YOU'RE TRYING TO TURN COPS, YOU KNOW, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY INTO CRIMINALS, AND I THINK WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THERE ARE GOOD ONES AND BAD ONES, AND WE'LL FIND THE BAD ONES, AND WE WILL TAKE THEM OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT.

>> WHAT ABOUT GOVERNMENT MASK MANDATES IN SCHOOLS?

>> I DON'T BELIEVE ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT INTRUSION SHOULD BE ALLOWED.

IT SHOULD BE A PERSONAL CHOICE.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

THEY ARE NOT PUT THERE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.

THAT IS NOT THEIR JOB.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SENATOR-ELECT EDWARD DURR, THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US, MAN.

GOOD TO MEET YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT.

IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ME, GO TO EDTHETRUCKER.COM.

>>> NO SUCH SHAKE-UP IN THE LOWER HOUSE WHERE THE SPEAKER MADE IT TO RE-ELECTION RATHER EASILY.

IT'S THE WORLD AROUND HIM THIS IS SHAKING.

ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CRAIG COUGHLIN JOINS US NOW.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> NICE TO SEE YOU, DAVID.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON?

>> CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VICTORY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> DID YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE EARTH SHOOK AROUND YOU LAST WEEK?

>> WELL, LAST TUESDAY WAS NOT A DAY ANY OF US REALLY SAW COMING OR ANTICIPATED, SO, YEAH, IT WAS QUITE REMARKABLE AND STUNNING AND CERTAINLY INDICATES -- YEAH, IT WAS A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM VOTERS AND THAT KIND OF -- YOU KNOW, IT ALWAYS IS A WAKE-UP CALL, SO YEAH.

>> WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THIS RED WAVE?

IS IT A MOMENT IN TIME OR A TREND TO WATCH INTO 2022?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A FEW THINGS.

I THINK IT IS THERE WAS A WAVE.

I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY SOME OF THE VOTES WENT, I DON'T THINK THIS WAS A TRUE CANDIDATE ANALYSIS, YOU KNOW.

I THINK THERE IS STILL SOME -- THERE IS SOME VERY POSITIVE NOTES FOR DEMOCRATS.

I MEAN FIRST DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR RE-ELECTED IN 44 YEARS.

SOLID MAJORITIES IN BOTH THE ASSEMBLY AND IN THE SENATE.

BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE TO HEART AND BE MINDFUL OF AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO I DON'T -- I THINK DEMOCRATS IN NEW JERSEY, I THINK, WERE LESS ENTHUSED THAN WE HAD WANTED TO BE, AND WE NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND IF IT DOES, IF WE DO OUR JOB AND MAKE SURE WE'RE SPEAKING TO OUR MIDDLE CLASS VALUES THAT ARE AT THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE DO AS DEMOCRATS, THEN I DON'T THINK YOU'LL SEE THIS AGAIN.

>> TALKING TO A BUNCH OF MEMBERS FROM BOTH HOUSES OVER THE PAST WEEK, THEY SPOKE ABOUT THIS ENTHUSIASM DEFICIT FROM THE BLUE TEAM AND THE HIGH ENERGY FROM THE RED TEAM.

WHAT WAS IT?

WAS IT BIDEN?

WAS IT MURPHY?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FACTORS IN THERE.

CERTAINLY I THINK THERE WERE SOME HEADWINDS FROM WASHINGTON, SOME OF THE STUFF THAT DIDN'T GET DONE, I THINK, GAVE AN AIR OF UNSATISFACTION TO THAT.

I THINK HERE IN NEW JERSEY, I THINK PERHAPS PART OF IT WAS THAT DEMOCRATS HAD COME TO BE -- TO THINK OF IT AS SORT OF THE NATURAL ORDER.

WE HAD WON THE BIG ELECTION LAST YEAR WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN.

WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, TWO DEMOCRATIC SENATORS, TEN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS PEOPLE, CONTROL OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE, AND MANY OF THE LARGER COUNTIES COMMISSIONER BOARDS WERE ALSO CONTROLLED BY DEMOCRATS.

SO I THINK THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE THAT THIS WAS THERE.

I ALSO THINK WHEN YOU SEE POLLING NUMBERS AND GOVERNOR MURPHY IS RUNNING SO FAR AHEAD, THAT HAS A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON ENTHUSIASM AND TURNOUT.

I THINK IT WAS ALL OF THOSE FACTORS, BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO A MESSAGE HERE THAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING, HEY, PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT REALLY MATTERS AT OUR DINNER TABLE, RIGHT?

OUR POCKETBOOK ISSUES.

THE THINGS THAT AFFECT US IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.

AND WE SPENT TIME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.

I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT REALLY AFFECTS PEOPLE DAY TO DAY, AND THAT'S THE KIND OF MESSAGE I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE FROM THIS.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO LISTENING TO FOLKS, MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT MATTERS TO THEM ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, AND MAKING SURE WE GET THOSE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.

NOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THOSE.

PAY EQUITY, THE FIRST BILL WE DID FOUR YEARS AGO.

WE RAISED THE MINIMUM WAGE.

WE CERTAINLY TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES.

BUT THERE'S MORE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.

>> THAT'S KIND OF AT THE CRUX OF WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

WE KEEP HEARING THE BUZZWORDS, YOU KNOW, KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES VERSUS WHAT ANOTHER MEMBER CALLED HASHTAG ISSUES, THE SENSE THAT THE DEMOCRATS WERE RELYING REALLY HEAVILY ON THEIR MESSAGE BEING ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SO ON AND NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE ECONOMIC PAIN THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOARD WERE FEELING.

BUT THERE'S A COUNTER TO THAT, WHICH IS THE PROGRESSIVES WOULD SAY, HEY, WERE IT NOT FOR US, YOU'D HAVE JACK CIATTARELLI AS GOVERNOR BECAUSE WE ARE THE BASE.

90% OF BLACKS, 80-SOMETHING PERCENT OF LATINOS WHO SUPPORTED THIS GOVERNOR, AND THEY SAY, WHY ARE WE NOT PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO OUR AGENDA?

THIS IS NOT A REPUDIATION OF THE GOVERNOR.

IT'S A CONFIRMATION.

>> I THINK, LOOK, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WE CERTAINLY HAVE MORE TO DO IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE COMPELLING NEED FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE THAT WE ALL CAME TO RECOGNIZE.

THE CHALLENGING PART OF THAT IS -- AND I THINK NEW JERSEY EMBRACES THAT AND RECOGNIZES THE THINGS WE DID WERE GOOD AND SOLID AND IMPORTANT STEPS FORWARD.

THE CHALLENGE IS THAT IT CAME RIGHT DURING THE MIDDLE OF A TIME WHEN THERE WERE 2 MILLION UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS, IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC THAT DOMINATED THE MEDIA, DOMINATED THE WAY ALL OF US LIVED OUR LIVES.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, AND I THINK WE CAN.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD NINE DIFFERENT TAX CUTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS.

I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT MESSAGE GOT THROUGH.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT DO AFFECT KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES LIKE AFFORDABILITY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, RAISING THE AMOUNT TOWARDS SENIOR TAX -- SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN -- CHANGING THE FORMULA FOR RETIREMENT INCOME SO MORE PEOPLE CAN KEEP MORE OF THEIR MONEY.

A CHILD CARE CREDIT ALONG WITH THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX.

WE WERE ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS.

I'M NOT SURE THAT THE MESSAGING DIDN'T GET THROUGH, AND OF COURSE THE SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACTS, I THINK WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE WORK WE DID WITH THAT AS WELL AND NEED TO CONTINUE ON BOTH OF THOSE PARALLEL PATHS.

>> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH A NEW PARTNER IN THE UPPER CHAMBER, VERY LIKELY TO BE SENATOR NICK SCATARI.

IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCE, THE LEADERS OF BOTH HOUSES.

YOU'VE GOT TO FIND A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

I KNOW IT WASN'T IMMEDIATELY EASY WITH YOU AND STEVE SWEENEY.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT NICK SCATARI, AND WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THAT RELATIONSHIP?

>> WELL, MY HOPES ARE HIGH.

I'VE KNOWN SENATOR SCATARI FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, DAVID.

THERE'S A RHYTHM TO WORKING TOGETHER, AND I'M CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FINE, STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP MOVING FORWARD.

IT IS ONE THAT I DEVELOPED OVER TIME WITH PRESIDENT SWEENEY, WHOM I AT THIS POINT CONSIDER TO BE A FRIEND AND A TRULY TERRIFIC, GREAT LEGISLATOR, WHOM I HAVE BEEN SO PROUD TO DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT, CHANGING THE SCHOOL FORMULA, EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN, DOING THINGS THAT I THINK WERE TRANSFORMATIVE FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND BEING FISCALLY WISE WHEN IT CAME TO PAYING $6.9 MILLION TOWARDS OUR PENSION PAYMENT.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THEY TAKE WORK.

THE AGREEMENT DOESN'T START OFF NECESSARILY 100%, AND YOU WORK THROUGH IT.

I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH SENATOR SCATARI IF HE'S SELECTED TO BE THE SENATE PRESIDENT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CRAIG COUGHLIN, GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

WE'LL SEE YOU GOING FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BYE-BYE.

>>> SO I SAID BEFORE OF THAT "CHAT BOX" IS BEST WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JAZZ, AND I STAND BY THAT STATEMENT.

AS LIVE MUSIC RETURNS, WE'RE GETTING TREATED TO GREAT PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING ONE THIS WEEK FROM OUR GUEST, GRAMMY WINNING BASSIST COMPOSER, JAZZ MAN EXTRAORDINARY CHRISTIAN McBRIDE JOINS US.

WELCOME.

>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU'RE TALKING TO US FROM THE STAGE OF NJ PAC, WHERE YOU HAVE AN OFFICIAL ROLE OR NO?

>> YES.

I'VE BEEN JAZZ ADVISER HERE AT NJ PAC FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS NOW.

>> FIRST OF ALL, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ANY JAZZ FESTIVAL HAS TO BE LIKE THE TOP FIVE GREATEST JOBS EVER.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

WHERE DO YOU GO?

YOU JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAID, YO, CYRUS, YOU BUSY THIS NOVEMBER?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> OH, IT CAN BE LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW.

OTHER TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THE AGENT, AND IT'S NOT NEARLY QUITE AS FUN.

>> REALLY?

>> IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL TO SIT AND PLAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AT A FESTIVAL.

SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF, YOU KNOW, MY IMAGINATION, WHO I'D LIKE TO SEE THERE.

I GET TURNED ON TO SOME NEW ARTISTS OR SOME NEW GROUPS THAT I HAVEN'T PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE SEND IN SUBMISSIONS, AND YOU TALK TO PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T DO THIS JOB IN A VACUUM.

>> YOU'RE BACK OUT THERE PLAYING NOW?

>> A LITTLE BIT.

I'M NOT QUITE OUT FULL SCALE JUST YET.

I'VE BEEN TAKING SOME SMALL STEPS BACK.

I ACTUALLY TRAVELED TO EUROPE LAST MONTH FOR A VERY QUICK FOUR-CITY TOUR, AND IT WAS -- IT FELT GREAT TO BE TRAVELING AGAIN, YOU KNOW.

IF THINGS GO AS PLANNED, 2022 IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, PEDAL TO THE METAL BECAUSE I HAVE, LIKE, A YEAR AND A HALF OF CANCELED DATES I HAVE TO MAKE UP.

>> RIGHT.

>> HOW HARD WAS IT TO NOT BE PLAYING, AND WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE WORLD SHUTS DOWN?

>> OH, I PLAYED.

I PLAYED AT HOME EVERY DAY.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME PRACTICING, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT.

YOU'RE NOT USING YOUR FULL STRENGTH.

YOU'RE NOT USING, YOU KNOW, PERFORMANCE STRENGTH.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO WHEN I HAD MY FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, TOWARD THE END OF 2020, SOMETIME IN THE FALL, LATE FALL, AFTER THE PERFORMANCE WAS OVER, MY FINGERS WERE DONE, MAN.

I HAD LIKE BLOOD BLISTERS LIKE I HADN'T HAD SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> A BIG PART OF YOUR MISSION AS AN ARTIST IS PAYING IT FORWARD, RIGHT?

GROWING THE MUSIC AND PASSING IT ON TO KIDS.

YOUR WIFE, THE POWERFUL MELISSA WALKER, HEADS UP JAZZ HOUSE KIDS, AND YOU HELP OUT THERE TOO.

IS IT GETTING EASIER OR HARDER TO GET KIDS -- AND I'M THINKING PRIMARILY OF KIDS OF COLOR -- TO APPRECIATE THIS MUSIC?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S HARDER.

I FIND AN INTERESTING CONUNDRUM IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC EDUCATION.

I THINK NOW THERE ARE MORE BETTER-TRAINED YOUNG MUSICIANS AROUND THE WORLD THAN EVER.

BUT THE VENUES HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY LARGER.

SO NOW YOU GOT LIKE A WHOLE GENERATION -- TWO OR THREE GENERATIONS FULL OF YOUNG MUSICIANS WHO ARE THOROUGHLY TRAINED.

THEY CAN READ.

THEY CAN WRITE.

THEY CAN COMPOSE.

THEY CAN ARRANGE.

THEY CAN DO ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.

YET THERE'S STILL LIKE A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF PLACES WHERE THEY CAN PLAY.

SO WE NEED TO -- SO WE GOT THE MUSICIANS.

WE JUST NOW NEED TO HELP THE OTHER PART OF THE INDUSTRY.

>> GET THE VENUES GOING SO THAT GUYS DON'T HAVE TO HAVE FIVE AND SIX JOBS TO JUST KEEP IT GOING, RIGHT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE MORE PLACES WE CAN PLAY, THE BETTER IT IS FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO EXPERIENCE LIKE THE LIVE MUSIC EXPERIENCE.

YOU COULD GO TO YOUTUBE.

YOU CAN WATCH TELEVISION, WHATEVER.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING LIKE WATCHING MUSICIANS CREATE.

>> AND I MEAN THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF JAZZ, SPONTANEOUS CREATION, PREFERABLY IN A LIVE SETTING BECAUSE JAZZ, I THINK ALMOST UNLIKE ANY OTHER MUSIC, LIVES IN THAT LIVE PERFORMANCE THAT VERY SECOND, NO?

>> YEAH.

YOU WILL NEVER HEAR THE SAME PERFORMANCE TWICE.

YOU MIGHT HEAR THE SAME MELODY.

YOU CAN HEAR THE SAME SONG, BUT IT WILL NEVER BE PLAYED THE EXACT SAME WAY TWICE.

VERY UNLIKE A POPULAR MUSIC PERFORMANCE WHERE EVERYTHING -- EVEN THE IMPROVISATIONS ARE REHEARSED METICULOUSLY, YOU KNOW?

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

I MEAN THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A BROADWAY SHOW, YOU KNOW.

BUT JAZZ IS SEEING PEOPLE WHO ARE THOROUGHLY TRAINED, THE MOST SKILLED MUSICIANS CREATING MELODIES THEY'RE COMPOSING RIGHT ON THE SPOT.

AND THAT'S A SPECIAL THING TO SEE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THE GREAT CHRISTIAN McBRIDE.

GOOD TO MEET YOU, MAN.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

>> I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> THAT'S "CHAT BOX" FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS ALSO TO EDWARD DURR AND SPEAKER CRAIG COUGHLIN.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @DAVIDCRUZNJ.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET SOME MORE "CHAT BOX," NJ BUSINESS BEAT, AND NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS.

WE'RE OFF FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A SAFE, PEACEFUL HOLIDAY.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY FUEL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY AND SMART HEAT NJ.

THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

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.

♪