Pop doesn't really look back. It can't. What makes pop work is simplicity.

That's kind of like how jazz is sometimes. You're out there predicting the future, and no one believes you.

When you're dealing with music without words, titles are more a means of identification than anything else. What's the point of getting lofty?

One of the things that's clear to me from interviews that I've read is that the more popular successful jazz musicians had audiences above and beyond the music community.

You don't know what you like, you like what you know. In order to know what you like, you have to know everything.

What is jazz? It, It's almost like asking, What is French? Jazz is a musical language. It's a musical dialect that actually embodies the spirit of America.

I'm not going to play funk licks on a jazz album. That makes no sense.

A lot of musicians have a tough time hearing what we're doing in a trio format.

I think that if you keep banging at the door all you need is a little foothold, a little tiny foothold, and then the rest will take care of itself.

So much of Jazz doesn't have an audience other than music students or musicians.

Coltrane came to New Orleans one day and he was talking about the jazz scene. And Coltrane mentions that the problem with jazz was that there were too few groups.

Be prepared to say “no” to some things. That is the key. When you say “yes” to every invitation, event and call, you will come back to meet you plans on the paper in the same state you left them.

The weird thing is that I hate to fly, and the quote that I give people is that every time I get off a plane, I view it as a failed suicide attempt.

I don't want anything given to me.

Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows continually through noble thought and memory.

Somebody once told me if you're doing what you're supposed to you don't have to force it.

I wish people were all trees and I think I could enjoy them then.

In the end there is no desire so deep as the simple desire for companionship.

Dependence goes somewhat against the grain of a generous mind; and it is no wonder that it should do so, considering the unreasonable advantage which is often taken of the inequality of fortune.

Liberace was Elton John and Lady Gaga before they even dreamed of it.

I think Messi is the best forward in the world. It is very difficult to play against him. But he is not only a forward, he is moving everywhere. He is a very good player.