Arturo says he's been blessed to have worked with the jazz giant.

How did I meet Randy Weston and I mean, I have to tell you that when I met Randy Weston was one of the great, great days of my life.

Believe it or not, I got a call from him directly to conduct his African Sunrise Seat at the 1998 Chicago Jazz Festival.

I mean, that's kind of mind blowing to be asked out of the blue to conduct this masterpiece that was written by Randy Weston and incredibly arranged by Mel Ballistan.

But in a way, and that was amazing.

There was such an incredible cast of musicians besides the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Claudio Ruditi, Billy Harper.

I mean, it was mind-blowing.

What was the best advice you ever got from Randy Weston? The

So tell people what's new from you in the public schools this year.

It's incredible what's happening.

Well, you mentioned one of the things, which was the East River Academy and the Griot Program at high school on Rikers Island for youth in jail custody.

But something truly wonderful is also happening in our housing for the homeless, HFA.

We're providing percussion classes at summer camps.

for unhoused youth.

And for me, the idea of providing free, no cost music education to people, children, adults, senior citizens is in keeping with my agenda as a human being, which is that elitism doesn't serve.

Artur, you wanted to say something to that?

You reconnect with Chico, you get the phone call, you realize that...

Well, what happened is we did the thing and I got the phone call and then...

During the whole experiment of doing this concert with Wynton, you know, I really love Wynton.

I have to say, what a lovely and brilliant and conflicted person he is because of the position that had been handed to him from early on.

And he, as I said, he was the one that had said, come, join me.

Because what happened is, during this whole Alice Tully Hall concert process, I remembered remarking to his assistant that man i really admired what wynton had done lincoln center reached out to him and gave him a vehicle for his his music and the music of his people and i remember saying her i'd love to talk to wynton about maybe he can recommend an institution that would do us the same kindness And much to my surprise, Wynton reached out to me and said, you know, I'm going to do you one.

He literally said this to me at Lincoln Square Plaza for the Christmas tree lighting.

Well,