MICHAEL STEPHANS has led three distinct but interrelated lives. He holds a PhD and two master’s degrees, has taught at three prestigious universities, and is currently faculty emeritus at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. A prominent jazz musician, Michael has performed and recorded with a wide array of jazz artists, including Bob Brookmeyer, Bennie Maupin, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Alan Broadbent, and many others. Michael is also an author of two nonfiction books, Experiencing Jazz: A Listener’s Companion and Experiencing Ornette Coleman: A Listener’s Companion, and three books of poetry and fiction.