A lot of jazz is like that; it sells over a period of time.

Jazz is neither specific repertoire, nor academic exercise... but a way of life.

The way we look at it, everything is a sound.

Play as well as you can all the time, and if you're truthful to your thing, you'll succeed.

We're just beginning to learn the importance of music in our society.

Many times you never know what's going to happen. You'll play songs that you never thought you were going to play.

I always tell my students when you're going to be a jazz musician the first thing you've got to do is be a professional musician, and that means you have to feed yourself with the instrument.

A chord is just the name of a sound.

We just can't go and try to turn the clock back, that's not happening anymore. You've got to figure something else out.

The music we play is kind of hard to explain. It's music that we really feel.

It's just about really being sensitive, and trying to play a music that is about music.

Look for mein sleepless nights, among the stars, I’ll be your guiding star...Look for mein the moments of happiness, on a green field, I’ll be your joy....

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress May the name of the God of Jacob protect you May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.

There's more pressure to be famous for being yourself than if you're being a character.

You aren't going to leave me alone are you?

Since the age of four, I've been exploring what I can do with the written word: everything from championing literacy and youth voice to raising awareness about world hunger.

I think since the systematic emergence of terrorism and the assassination attempts, everything has tightened. My hope is that it loosens back up once I leave.

I paraphrase Lord Rothschild: ‘The time to buy is when there's blood on the streets.'

I try to begin working with no preconceived ideas.

Love yourself. Respect yourself. Never sell yourself short. Believe in yourself regardless of what people think. You can accomplish anything, absolutely anything, if you set your mind to it.

The devil did not make me do it. I managed it all by myself.