Jazz music is a language of the emotions.

Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.

I never heard my music played the way I heard it in my head.

I am Charles Mingus, half black man, not even white enough to pass for nothing but black. I am Charles Mingus, a famed jazzman, but not famed enough to make a living in this society.

I'm trying to play the truth of what I am. The reason it's difficult is because I'm changing all the time.

My music is evidence of my souls will to live.

If Charlie Parker were a Gunslinger, There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats

Making the complicated simple is true creativity.

Bach is how buildings got taller. It's how we got to the moon.

They're singing your praises while stealing your phrases.

Tell me, what's the difference between tracking a wild beast and securing a husband?

Our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted.

After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser.

It took me realizing that a broken heart has never actually killed anyone to find the courage to ask for what I want, in just about every situation. That was part of my own growing up.

The harder the fighting and the longer the war, the more the infantry, and in fact all the arms, lean on the gunners.

Even a manically depressed robot is better to talk to than nobody.

When I am dead, no pageant train shall waste their sorrows at my bier. Nor worthless pomp of homage vain stain it with hypocritic tear.

Now, it it well known that one cannot step on a tack without saying something about it.

Puerto Rico has two divergent paths forward. After a reasonable transition period, it could become a state. Or it can become a sovereign nation.

Self destroyer, wreck your health, destroy friends, destroy yourself. The time device of self destruction, lies, confusion, start eruption.